Safe With You || Seth Cohen

||49||

A few days had passed since prom and they weren't uneventful at all. While my entire class was dancing away at the prom, Caleb suffered a heart attack and passed away.

Kirsten had been practically numb and I knew she was taking this hard. Seth was better, but he was still sad. I knew even though he didn't particular worship his grandfather, he still loved him dearly.

I tried to offer him as much support as I could, but I was unsure what to say. I'd never lost a loved one but I knew I just needed to stand by Seth and his family's side through this.

I was sitting in the pool house with Ryan, the both of us discussing our worries about Kirsten when Seth walked in.

"Hey, how you doing?" Ryan asked Seth as he came and sat down beside me.

I grabbed his hand and noticed he held a brochure of some sort in his other hand.

"Well, I was depressed, now I'm depressed and confused." Seth stated, holding up the brochure for Ryan and I to see.

It was a brochure to a rehab facility called Suriak. I figured it must be for Kirsten.

"It's a rehab center. Where'd you get this?" Ryan asked Seth.

"My dad's office..and I don't think he's trying to kick bagels."

"I don't think it's for your dad, Seth." I told him, squeezing his hand as I glanced towards Kirsten who was visible in the kitchen from where we sat. There was no emotion in her face and she looked completely out of touch with reality. I glanced at Seth and Ryan in worry at her state.

~~~~
I stood in my room and finished pulling on my dress for Caleb's funeral. I sighed and went to my beside table, grabbing Sparkles the pony. Seth had regifted her to me and I figured I could try and cheer him up a little by bringing her over.

I left my room and walked down the hallway to Seth's room, walking in to find him on his bed, fully dressed in his suit, but reading a comic book.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Hey, come here." Seth stated and I walked over and sat by him.

"I thought Captain Oats could use the company." I told him, setting Sparkles on Seth's nightstand beside Captain Oats.

"Captain Oats is pretty lucky."

I smiled sadly and grabbed his hand. "Seth, I'm sorry, I know this is hard for you."

"It is, but it's actually my mom I'm worried about." Seth confessed and I nodded.

"Do you think the drinking is going to get worse now?"

"I don't know. I don't even know what it was like before. I mean, Mom had a glass of wine with dinner occasionally, but I never thought that she'd go past that."

"I understand how you feel, Seth. Take it from someone who has been through the same situation. My mother has been drinking ever since Ryan and I were little. It only got worse when our father was thrown in jail. All you can do is just support your mother and help her through this. And I'll be with you every step of the way."

Seth placed his hand on my check and smiled sadly. "Thank you, Ally. I love you for that."

"I love you too, Seth."

After sitting in Seth's room for a little while longer, the two of us headed downstairs and climbed into the car and headed to the church where the service was going to be held.

When we arrived, I held onto Seth's hand as we walked towards the church doors. I noticed Jimmy Cooper was back in town and walking beside Marissa and Julie. As everyone settled into their seats, Ryan and I sat on either side of Seth. I think we both felt that he needed us right now.