Chapter six

~ Taylor ~

I woke reaching out to where I thought she'd be, it was cold. My eyes shot open mostly to check I was where I thought I was and it wasn't all just a dream. The light hit me through the slit where the curtains weren't completely closed. She wasn't here, I looked around the empty room, then the noise of the shower rang in my ears, I got up and crept into the shower the need to touch kiss her good morning overwhelming. "Hey, Good morning Crystal", I slipped in the shower behind her, wrapping her in my arms. She turned to face, me a huge smile planted firmly on her lips. She looked up eye's sparkling. "How you feeling Tay? I woke up early went for my jog, I really didn't want to wake you." I smiles back, "|'m good, never felt better in fact," then a thought hit me, "Claire's coming home today, are you excited", I said knowing she would be as we soaped each other. "Hmmm… yes I am, I'm going to call the hospital after breakfast and see what time we can go get her".

"Crystal? Can we go out tonight, it's our last night together, we leave for Italy tomorrow". She cringed when I mentioned we were leaving, I leaned in planted a kiss on her forehead, "I'm going to miss you, we're back in a week, for a day or two, though". We both looked at each other each seeing the others sadness. I decided this was going to be unbearable, shocked how deeply I had fallen for this woman.

"Hi, is anyone home?" It was Zac, we both shot out the shower I wrapped a towel around my waist, Crystal, covered herself in her bathrobe. Stepping out the Bathroom together, not expecting anyone to be in crystal's bedroom, we came face to face with Zac and Claire,

They stood there hand in hand, looking straight at us, Zac said "Err…Claire could come home, so we thought we'd surprise you Crystal," not able to look either Crystal or me in the eye. My eyes flitted from Crystal to Claire then to Zac, the air was so thick you could have cut it with a knife, no one actually knew what to say.

The silence was stifling, I looked at Claire she just stared at her mom, and the shock in her eye's showed she wasn't happy with the situation. Zac, giving me the usual I can't believe you did this expression. Claire bent over picked up her bags, looked at her mom, "I'm going to unpack", then she was gone, Zac trailing behind, as he reached the door, he turned "Tay, if you've ruined things for me and Claire, I swear I'll knock you out cold". With that he was gone, I spun around just about to say to Crystal, he's got a nerve, but what I saw made me stop in my tracks.

Crystal, sat on the bed her head in her hands sobbing, I fell to my knees in front of her, wrapping my arms around her, as she cried. I didn't know what to say, nor where to start, but I had to tell her how I felt, I know we needed to talk. That much was obvious, one things for sure I couldn't give her up, and I had to make her see that, the fear I might lose her caused a lump to form in my throat. Swallowing back my own tears, I just held her.

~ZAC~

"Claire, WOW. These drawings are awesome, did you draw these," I asked trying to change the subject as I looked at the multiple Zac Hanson's hung around the room, from the age of twelve to present day. To say I wasn't taken aback was an understatement but I was impressed with how life like they were.

"Hmmmm, sorry yeah I did", she turned her head trying to smile, I know she was upset about finding her mom and Tay like that, but she was trying unconvincingly to cover it up. "Claire, are you upset about…….," "Yes, I am Zac, sorry I know he's your brother but god what's he doing with my mom. I feel sick just thinking about what they've been up to, he's far too young for her, and quite frankly I'm embarrassed for my mom. What was she thinking, I feel totally ashamed, what does she think she's doing". Claire looked away totally disgusted with the whole thing. "Zac tell me you didn't know about this". " I didn't I swear, but I did know that Taylor had feelings for her, he has spent a fair bit of time with her since we arrived". I turned her to face me, lifted her chin with my hand. "Claire, listen, this isn't your mom's fault. I knew Taylor was attracted to her, you see. He's always had this thing for older women, and if I'm honest, I knew as soon as he saw her he would fall for her, and he did big time, we were talking about it the other night, he told me he thinks he loves her. So what you saw in there, wasn't anything sordid or disgusting".

"Your mom must have fallen for Tay too, because one thing I know is that your Mom has never been with another man since your dad, so I know she doesn't sleep with just anybody, she must think a lot of Taylor". "Maybe Zac, but he's not just anybody is he. He's Taylor Hanson, do you know what that means? And to be quite honest I can't deal with it Zac, I really can't.

"I….is this going to effect us seeing each other Claire?" I had to ask her, but afraid I didn't want to know her answer. "I don't know Zac, I really don't". "But why, it shouldn't effect us, I still care a lot about you, and I know you care for me too".

But Zac", she cut me off, "Can't you see, when the fans find out, the media or even your family, Oh God, can you imagine what they'll say, Zac's seeing the daughter and Tay the Mother, NO ZAC, it's just not right".

I held her tight, "I'll talk to Tay later, don't upset yourself, but please try to see it from our point of view, at the end of the day after the interviews the records, and the concerts when the fans all go home to their own lives. We are normal people; we have our imperfections, yes, even Taylor. Tay isn't the Mr perfect everyone sees him as, he has a private life, and sometimes he does things that shock us all. He's my brother and I know he's going to be just as hurt by this as we are, and at the end of the day, Love has no boundaries, or age limits, and if he does love her, what can we do about it".

She looked at me nothing but the pain showing through, "Zac your so sweet, that's why I love you", she held me tight. "She's my Mom Zac, Tay can fall in love with whoever he wants, but just not my Mom". She pulled away and started unpacking her things.

"Tay", I called through the door after knocking, No reply, "Tay we have to go, Ike called he said if we don't get back to the Hotel in an hour he's calling Dad, he sounded pretty pissed off Tay". "Okay, I'll be out in a minute.", he called back.

~ Taylor ~

"Crystal, I have to go," I lifted her chin with my finger so she had to look at me. I was worried she hadn't spoken to me in a while, I was panicking the silence only meant that she was going to end things. Her eyes opened a fresh set of tears waiting to fall, "Okay Tay, you go, I'll be fine, you go." "No, I can't go, I need to know that every things okay, that we're okay? Can I come back later, we can go out and talk". "I don't know Tay Claire's home and I……," "Zac will be here with Claire, I'm sure they want to spend some time together before we go tomorrow, Come on it can't hurt anything, we need to talk". "Okay fine Tay, I'll try to talk to Claire while your gone, to explain things a little.

I left hoping and praying she would be able to smooth things over with Claire, because I knew as well as she did, if she couldn't it would be the end of the most perfect relationship I have ever had.

CHAPTERS