Taylor looked around, a chill teasing his body. Something was eerie, and Taylor knew he couldn't ignore the feeling. Every minute of every day that passed since Zac told him that he saw Duncan, Taylor's been on edge. The windows, he made sure, were locked and only opened when he was home. Although it's been two weeks since the sighting of Duncan, Taylor has made it completely unknown to everyone about his paranoia. Zac, knows of course, only because he's just as nervous.
"Would you mind opening the window?" Davey questioned, looking away from the movie she had been watching. It was her favorite movie, Renaissance Man, a movie everyone else in the house hated.
"Can I just put the air conditioner on?" Taylor suggested in reply, not wanting to open the window. He looked over Davey's face, noting how sickly she appeared. Her body looked fragile, but you should almost trace the intense radiation she was giving off. The heat of her body was pressured to her skin, her cheeks and ears flustering red. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Davey paused, her breath intake sharp and raspy, "I think I'll be fine, I just need some air."
"Okay, c'mere, let's go outside." Taylor instantly regretted his comment. Silently, he approached the struggling Davey and leaned down, lifting her up into his arms.
She smiled greatfully, and she allowed him to keep his arms around her as they slowly walked toward the door. Her knees were shaking, her grip on Taylor's arms were weak, and her heart was slamming against her chest. "Taylor, oh god," she heard herself shriek. Her body was loosing it's power, she didn't know what was going on, but her body ached intensely.
"Hold on, we're almost outside," Taylor whispered against Davey's head, which was now resting heavily on his shoulder.
"I can't move anymore Taylor, I think," she paused, breathing deep, "I think it's time, the baby's coming. I'm going into labor." She gripped his shirt as if trying to save her life, and her eyes were tearing up, her body tensing and struggling with nature.
"Oh shit! Davey, c'mon. Where's your bag?" Taylor questioned, gazing at her wide-eyed, "What about your phone? Where's your phone? Can you breath alright, I need to get your bag." He frantically gazed around the room, his eyes dipping into every little crevice he could see from his position by the door.
"I can make it outside," Davey lied, forcing herself to let go of Taylor's body. She knew she had to keep it cool, Taylor was just about to switch into panic mode and she knew she couldn't handle seeing him like that. "My bag is behind the door in our room." She shuffled herself closer to the door, and with her eyes, she begged Taylor to hurry. She noticed, as Taylor rushed to her and Zac's room, his chest was heaving. He was panicking, he wasn't ready for this. Something else was on his mind, everyone had noticed, but only now does it show in his actions. He was scared, his eyes were drowning in fear, his lips were trembling.
- -
She shook her head as she mustered up all her strength to turn the door knob. She was dying, she could swear that she was dying. The pain in her belly, between her legs, the pain in her legs, she felt horrible. She took raspy breaths as she shuffled past the doorway and outside on the front porch.
Steps, the front porch steps. The front steps stood in her way. Oh god, the steps, I can't make it down the steps, she cried to herself. Tears welled in her eyes, as she quickened her short steps. As she braced herself to open the screen door, allowing her onto the steps, she felt Taylor's strong arms around her. She sighed in relief, out loud, and she allowed herself to breath slower when she felt Taylor's chest against her back. She closed her eyes as he took a broad step forward, opened the screen door, and almost lifted her through the thresh hold. She opened her eyes as she felt her feet touch the edge of a step. Her heart rose in her throat, and she felt sweat begin to fall into her eyes. She angrily brushed them away, and with Taylor's help, she quickly and safely made it to the car.
Thank god for Taylor, she cried to herself as she hazily watched the house disappear from sight. Thank god for Taylor.
- - - -
I jumped, the phone rang. I've been home for about half an hour now, and there's no one around. Isaac and Dee are somewhere, Zac: god knows where he could be, and as for Taylor and Davey, I'm twice as clueless.
"Hello?" I asked, my throat dry.
"Thank god your home Mandy, Davey's in labor." It was Taylor, and he sounded alert, almost frightfully nervous.
"What? She's bearly nine months! Is she alright? Where is she? Is Zac with you?" My mind was tossing out questions faster then I could think about them, and the faster I threw them out, the more excited I got. "Zac's where?" I questioned, breathing deep.
"He's at Shaw's, he went shopping. Dave's freaking out, she wants Zac here right now."
"I'll go get him, tell her I love her and we're coming, tell her to breath!" I hung up. My mouth hung open as I rushed toward my keys that were calling to me from the kitchen counter. I quickly got myself settled, and I was on my way to find Zac before I could breath.
- - - -
Zac gazed around, slushily trudging down the aisle in the supermarket. Which type of bottles should he get? What about baby food? What about diapers? What size does he get? Which type of shampoo do they need? The questions washed over his thoughts quicker then he could imagine, and his breath was gone when he stood still in the middle of the aisle, baffled. He closed his eyes and leaned against the cart, groaning when it rolled beneath his weight. He's not ready for this baby, he's not ready to hear his and Davey's baby at night crying, he's not physically ready to tend to the needs of a newborn. His life was moving too fast for a baby, he thought. He felt his chest tighten when he denied this thoughts, he wanted this baby. He loved Davey, the only girl he's ever loved since Alyson Tripp, he knew that Davey was the one he wanted in his life.
Sighing, he looked around the aisle, holding his breath and tapping his fingers to a shaky beat to stop his thoughts from deceiving him again. Slowly, almost as if preparing himself, he stepped close to the diapers, he knew he was ready.
- - - -
I waddled my way into the supermarket, my eyes searching the area quickly. Where would Zac be? I have to find him, he needs to be with Davey. Can you believe it? Davey is having a baby, right now she is experiencing everything I'll be experiencing soon. She's needing everything I know I'm going to need, she's probably gripping Taylor tight and holding on for dear life. Just the way I'll be gripping him close, regretting letting him do this too me. Of course, that'll be the drugs talking.
I quickly decided on the baby aisle, and as I quickened myself, I thought I saw him. "Zac!" I called, noticing the boy didn't turn around. Alright, not Zac, hmm, where could Zac be?
"Amanda?" A voice called, as I rushed quickly past the tampon aisle. I didn't stop walking as I turned my head back. I saw a man, the same man I saw at the office a few weeks back. He practically leaped out of the prior aisle and he reached for my arm, grabbing me and pulling me toward him. "I'm so glad to see you." He said, his voice warm and inviting. I smiled at him, although my heart wasn't in it.
"Nice too see you too, I hate to be rude but I'm kinda in a hurry." I tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let me move. I rolled my eyes and had to bit my lip to keep from growling at me.
"I'll walk with you, I want to talk with you. How far along are you now sweet-heart?" he asked me, turning me around and walking me down the main aisle of the supermarket. I smiled at him again, the same smile I used before, except this time, I allowed him to see how unhappy I was.
"I'm more then eight months." His grip on my arm tightened, and I stopped walking, "Would you mind telling me who you are? I don't think we've met?" Who is this guy and what the hell is he doing with me, why is he holding onto me so hard?
"Mandy!" someone called from down the aisle we were standing beside. "Amanda!" I noticed the man standing next to me, with his hands on my arm, jumped at the voice. It was Zac, I realized, as I turned down the aisle to look at him. I couldn't help but smile, looking at his face, I just couldn't help it.
"We've met before, we have a past together, don't you remember babe?" I felt my smile fade away, the man was still trying to talk to me when he probably knew I was here for Zac.
"No, I don't think I remember, why don't you tell me your name?" I looked up at his face, and I soaked in all his features. I have seen that face before, his eyes, his mouth. I was drawn to his mouth, almost like I've kissed that mouth before. But that didn't effect me, what bothered me was his tight grip on my arm and his eyes. God, those gorgeous brown eyes, I swear I've seen them before.
"You really don't remember me, do you babe?" Babe? His voice, oh man, his voice. It sent chills down my spine, just the way he said babe, it made me remember the way I was always called Babe.
"Amanda! Get away from him!" Zac scolded, rushing up to us, gliding his cart away from us. He stepped close to the man, forcing him to let go of my arm. I watched the two men gaze at each other, and I recognized the anger in the man's eyes. Those gorgeous brown eyes, I've looked into them before.
"Zac, don't worry about him," I replied, reaching for him, grabbing his arm, "We've got to get to Davey, Zac!" I reached for him again, but he stepped away, unfazed by my words.
"What are you doing here? Why are you following us?!" Zac questioned the man, his voice uncalm, his tongue lashing a sharp tone I have never heard before.
"What are you talking about?" The man looked between Zac and I, afraid, but overpowering. I recognized that look, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't place the look. "Back off, I wasn't trying anything, I was just talking to her."
"You know she doesn't remember you! Why don't you just go away? Get out of her life, leave her and Taylor alone."
"I have nothing against Taylor, I just wanted to talk to Amanda again."
"You want revenge, you f**king bastard." Zac yelled, shoving the man in the chest. I blinked, releasing confused tears to stroll down my flushed cheeks.
"Zac! Stop," I stepped forward and reached out to him, "Zac, leave him alone, c'mon."
"Amanda! Back off!" Zac turned toward me, his eyes full of anger and hatred. I almost gasped aloud, I've never seen him hate someone so much, I've never seen that look in his eye before.
"Mandy, babe, this is between us. Zac, man, c'mon, we're cool." Babe, there is was again. Why did it sent chills up and down my spine, why did I relate to it, why did I recognize it so much?
"Zac! Davey's in labor!" I yelled, hoping he would listen to me now.
"What?" Zac turned toward me, his face softening. "She's what?"
"She's having a baby, Zac." I lowered my voice, "She needs you, c'mon, let's go." I reached out and took him by the hand, trying to lead him away.
"Amanda, babe," The man stepped toward me, gripped my shoulders and leaned close to me, "You have to remember me babe, don't you remember?" He leaned close to my face and kissed my cheek, his breath hot on my face, "You'll remember, I promise." I closed my eyes, fighting a shiver in reaction to his breath on my cheek.
~~dream state~~
"Duncan! Duncan stop, oh please stop, Duncan!" I screamed, my heart rising into my throat, choking me. With hot tears of pain and agony streaming down my face, I felt him collapse on top of my body, his hands loosening grip on my wrists, his mouth beside my ear.
"Babe, I love you. I love you so much, it won't hurt no more, I promise." His breath was hot on my face, his lips touched my cheek as he continued to whisper, "Just remember I love you, you'll remember won't you babe? I know you will," he lifted his head and kissed my mouth, "You'll remember."
- -out of dream state- -
My eyes shot open, oh my god, those eyes. I remember those eyes, the way his breath touched my face. Duncan, I wanted to cry, Duncan is that you? I lifted my eyes to look him in the face, but Zac tugged on my arm, "Let's go." He called, pulling me away. My heart slammed against my chest as Zac and I rapidly walked out of the supermarket.
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