Hanson Road Rules

"Well, what did you think, Quick? That my Mom would let a 15 year old travel across country alone, looking for a former lover?"

He had come out to see if I was ok. Quick found me sitting on the stoop in front of the rest stop, waiting for the tow truck. It seemed like it was taking forever for it to arrive. Like the nice guy he is, he asked me what was upsetting me even more, since I got off the phone. He asked me if I was homesick. I guess it's about that time that I dropped the bombshell on him.

"Nobody told me anything about running away!" He repeated. "I just assumed that your parents knew somehow! How'd you buy that bus ticket? Where did all that gas money you gave to me come from? I don't know, I guess I didn't think of it. Now I'm really in trouble. Driving my Uncle's car, taking a minor across state lines. Who knows, they might have me up on kidnapping."

"Oh stop!” I joked, “Like you wouldn't enjoy prison anyway. They would love a nice, sensitive type like you there. Maybe you wouldn't even have to wear that orange, prison jumpsuits. How do you look in a wedding dress, anyway?" I tried to make light of the situation, hoping that Quick would see the humor, but he didn't seem to laugh. "Come on, Quick, really. You're only 17 yourself. It's not like you could get into any serious trouble. You're just helping out a friend right? Nothing more."

That seemed to throw him for some reason.

He said, "I..uh guess you’re right. Yeah, I was just helping you out. It's not like I wanted anything from you or asked for anything, right? You know, I just assumed it was my imagination when I thought I heard your Mom yelling at you over the phone."

I answered, "No, that defiantly wasn't your imagination. That was my Mom. Believe me, every decibel of it was my Mom. I've heard that tone in her voice lots of times. It takes awhile to build up a resistance to it. Remember those muggers you helped me fight off? They have nothing on my Mom."

Quick was half joking, but he was also half serious. I just assumed that he knew this was all 'hush-hush'. He was, after all, only giving me a ride. I don't know why he had such a guilty conscious all of a sudden. I wish that tow truck would show up with the gas for his car. We were just starting to get along, and now he seemed upset. Well, not upset but nervous.

He ran his fingers threw his hair, pulling it away from his face. I couldn’t help but be distracted. Quick has the most delicate fingers, maybe it’s why he is so good on the computer. His hands are very expressive. I don’t know why, but I’ve always had this hand fetish. I love guys with elegant hands.

Of course, it was right about then that a stranger just had to come up to us and say, "Hold it right there, you two. Don't you know you're being followed?"

"What?" we both repeated in unison, Quick almost choking on his own tongue. His eyes bugged out of his head like a cartoon character.

"You've been followed since the moment you got here," he said.

Quick looked nervous, "Where? Who?" he said looking around. Quick's funny when he's agitated. His long hair does this sort of 'swishy-thing' when he turned from side to side and his eyes get sort of glassy. I like it though, they seem to spark with intensity. He's actually kind of cute. I'm surprised that he doesn't have a girlfriend.

___________________________

"Tay, what time did you get back last night?" Zac asked Taylor.

Zac had been dying to know where Taylor had been out to most of last night, but he hadn’t had a chance to ask Tay until now. They hadn't been alone since their Dad knocked on the door to call them to breakfast. Zac continued to die all through breakfast, the car ride to the hall where they were performing tonight, even most of the rehearsal. Someone was always in the room. Zac hated not knowing absolutely everything about everyone.

"I told you, Zac, I ummm, went to get some ice cream," Taylor answered.

"Don't give me that, Tay. Dad was looking for you. I had to cover and say that you went down to the lobby to complain and get another pillow. Oh yeah, if Dad asks, tell him that you think these hotel pillows are 'sub-standard and no where near up to your expectations.' You know, you can be so pretentious and picky......in the ummmm fantasy world where I make up excuses for you."

Taylor said, "Sage asked me to go out and get some ice cream with him....."

"Sage! UGH!"

"....and before I knew it, we were at some club."

The boys moved away from their instruments, and to the backstage area to talk further. The roadies for the "Some Assembly Required - Teen School Summit" had some last minute set ups and and checks on the equipment. Zac and Taylor would only be in the way now. They only had about a half of an hour before all the school busses would arrive, packed with screaming fans, to see Hanson and the other teen stars.

"Taylor, I told you Sage is so much the baddie. Why can't you stay away from him?" Zac asked.

"I know, I know, Zac" Taylor answered. He flashed back to last night. “I didn’t know he would...... That Sage could...... Zac, he did things that.....”

Taylor couldn’t finish. His eyes teared up and he ran away. Taylor didn’t want Zac to see him like this.

The boys’ father came over.

“What’s wrong with Taylor,” Walker asked.

“Well, Dad...... You see... Taylor went to go and complain again. Yeah, that’s it. It seems that Taylor doesn’t want any brown M&M’s mixed in with the others back in the dressing room. You know, he is such a diva. That boy can be so pretentious and picky. I better go after him.”

Zac took off after his crying brother.

_________________________________

Quick asked the stranger again, trying to be brave, “What do you mean, we’re being followed?”

The man answered, matter of factly, “Don't bother looking, you won't see them.”

“Who are you?” I asked.

“A friend.” He said. “Our association has been monitoring them for years. They've gotten alot of bad press but we know they are harmless. The government, they're the ones to look out for. They're the bad guys.”

We both relaxed a bit. This guy was totally nuts. Quick....well quickly recovered and decided to mess with him a bit. He flashed me his cute smile and winked to let me know that he was in on it.

“Tell me, sir, just who are the good guys?” Quick said in a deadpan, serious manner.

The man answered, “You. Me. The Extra Terrestrials, of course.”

It was hard to keep from laughing. Quick continued, “Extra Terrestrials?”

“Oh, they say there's no such thing, but they're here all around us. Today they've decided to follow you.”

“You know Jax, I warned you not to wear that cologne. Bet that’s what attracted the aliens, right?” he said, raising an eyebrow

The man continued, “I heard you asking your friend earlier where some sort of money was coming from. We're building transmitters to contact them. This is your opportunity to contribute.”

Now it really became clear. Quick is amazing, the way he thinks on his feet. Without missing a beat he told the man, “Why this is a miracle brother! The Lord brought you to us. These extra terrestrials you speak of are but foot soldiers for salvation! Say hallelujah!”

He grabbed the man by the shoulder and hugged him. Then Quick said, “And contributions, my brother, are what we are looking for too. So, why don’t you help us with the Lord’s work and give us some of that alien money.”

The man didn’t know what to make of Quick. I had to bite my tongue to stop laughing. The man just wandered off, befuddled. The tow truck drove up, and we hopped inside.

Soon Taylor, very soon.

_______________________

Zac found Taylor near a catwalk, behind the stage. Taylor’s eyes burned as he tried to hold back tears. The few that escaped his eyes were quickly wiped away on his sleeve the minute he saw Zac approach.

“Tay, what’s wrong? You can tell me. I promise, I won’t get mad or make fun of you.”

He answered, “It’s just Sage. Zac, I don’t know what it is. I thought maybe he could be the one. He said so many things that made me think we were so alike. I thought we were in sync, you know?”

“You two were as in sync as a Japanese monster movie. Taylor, you don’t always have to get other people’s approval or take crap from them to have them love you. Be your own person.”

“I don't always feel like I have to get other people’s approval, Zac”

Zac hugged his brother close and said, “Hey, the important thing is that YOU believe that. Whether it’s true or not.” They both laughed. Zac said, “Come on, we have a show to get ready for, and we have to go to the dressing room and pick all the brown M&M's out of the bowl. Don't ask why. We’ll talk more about this later, promise.”

Zac put his arm around Taylor and hugged him again. He decided that after tonight’s show, he would try calling Jaxsper for Tay. Maybe Taylor had given up too easily. Zac left Taylor alone for a minute to collect himself.

It wasn’t more than a minute after Zac left that Sage approached Taylor.

Taylor couldn’t even look at Sage. It was everything - the way Sage made him feel, cheap and dirty, like he was an object. Taylor thought at one time that maybe that was all he wanted, but he realized now that he wanted and needed more. He couldn’t bring himself to answer. He simply rose and started to walk away.

“Taylor, wait. Please....” Sage said as he grabbed at Taylor’s shoulder.

“Don’t do this,” Tay said.

“Don’t do what, man?” Sage asked confused. “What’s your damage? I thought we were having fun. We went out last night, had some drinks, had some fun. What’s the problem?”

“Sage, do you love me?”

“Taylor, I barely know you. Love you? What are you talking about? You’re getting way to deep for me. It was fun, that’s all.” Sage grabbed Taylor’s other shoulder and spun him around, so that Taylor was facing him.

Taylor summoned up all of his strength and said, “Don’t! If you ever cared about me at all, don’t touch me. Not now. Not ever. I have a show to do. I don’t have time for this.”

Taylor extracted himself from Sage’s grasp and left. Sage stood there stunned for a minute.

“What’s with Oklahoma farm boy today? Why’s he all sensitive? It must just be that guilt thing some guys get after sex,” Sage thought. “I guess they have to be all ‘lovey’ and ‘feely’ and stuff.”

Sage decided that if that’s what he needed to do to score with a piece of ass like Taylor again, that’s what he would do. After all, they were only on this tour for a few more days, so it’s not like he would have many other chances.

“If Taylor wants the sensitive type, then that’s what he’ll get,” thought Sage.

________________________________

Quick and I turned the corner on the way to McFarland Hall right as the school busses were arriving. Hanson and alot of other teen stars from music and film would be here perfuming for some sort of “stay in school” concert sponsored by the New York radio stations. This was my last chance to see Taylor before the concert moved up to Canada.

“Jax, this is where you want me to drop you off?” Quick asked. “Jax, the signs say that this is a Hanson concert? What’s going on? Don’t tell me you’re in love with one of Hanson’s sisters or something. Is that it? You said you met her when you were filming the MTV show in California.”

“Quick.... the person I love. The person I am trying so hard to get to is a Hanson. It’s.... well it’s Taylor Hanson.”

Quick almost crashed the car.

“Quick, I’m sorry. Don’t hate me. I didn’t mean to lie to you. I like guys, ok?”

He took it remarkably well. I haven’t told many people of that I’m Gay. I wasn’t sure how he would react to the fact that the guy he had just driven hundreds of miles was Gay. It’s weird thing, telling people your secret. You suddenly review your every action and remember every word you’ve said to them because you know the other person is doing it too. You know that the other person is trying to figure out where the signs were, and you hope that the other person isn’t now interpreting every action as some sort of “the fag was putting his moves on me” kind of thing. Like how I couldn’t sleep last night, it really was because I was upset from the mugging. I worried that Quick would have thought I did it because I was coming onto him. He didn’t. Quick seemed confused but not mad or judgmental.

___________________

Quick was speechless. Finally, another person he could talk to. Quick had known for years he was Gay. That’s one of the reasons Quick loved the internet. He could finally be free and not hide himself. Through the internet, he had met with dozens of guys who felt the same way. Still, he had never expressed his feelings in real life. Deep down, he liked Jaxsper. He hoped against hope that Jaxsper would and could love him back, but he didn’t think Jax was “his way.” Now, he found out Jax was.

Maybe that’s why they got along together so well. Why they seemed to click on the bus and on the road. They both kept this secret buried inside. Maybe they could spot others who had the secret too. It wasn’t completely easy for Quick, though. Finally, another guy to talk to about being Gay. He could admit that he had feelings for him, but now Quick found he still couldn’t. Jaxsper loved Taylor Hanson. Taylor Hanson! Who could compete with that! Quick decided it was best if he didn’t tell Jaxsper the way he felt. Not just yet.

____________________

Like I said, Quick took the news well. He even offered to help me reach Hanson. From the look of all the school busses parked out front, I was going to need all the help I could get. There was going to be hundreds of people in here for Hanson’s final show in New York.

Now, if there’s one thing I’ve learned on the movie sets it’s that if you just walk around and act like you know what you’re doing, no one will stop you. The world moves aside for a man who knows where he’s going. On a set, people are busy. Too busy to watch and keep track of what everyone is doing. If you just blend in and don’t act all “gosh, wow” you can go anywhere and get away with anything. Quick and I just moved over and blended in with the tons of kids getting off the school busses and followed them all inside. No one even asked us for a ticket.

“Keep your eyes peeled.” I told Quick, once we were inside.

“See anything?” he asked.

Boy, did I ever. At that moment, Hanson took to the stage. I had never been to a Hanson concert before. I had a chance to, before I met Taylor, when the band was on tour. I didn't go. I was impressed by the sheer volume of the crowd. We were still way too far from the stage for him to see me, but still my heart skipped a beat when I saw him wave to the crowd.

Something about Taylor. When I see him, all the lights in the world dim, and I can only see him, illuminated and shining. I could see him through the mass of people that separated us. I could see him through the waving arms, the “marry me” banners and the crying girls, proclaiming their love for my boyfriend. Taylor could have had any one of them, boy or girl, I’m sure. Maybe I was crazy, but I was sure he was looking right at me as he started singing.

I had to get backstage. No matter what, I had to do it. There probably wasn’t a way through this crowd, but maybe I could come around the back.

___________________________

Hanson finished their first set. Ike congratulated them and warned Zac not to stray too far. Ike reminded Taylor and Zac that they were needed back onstage for the big ‘jam session’ all the performers gave at the end of the show.

Taylor needed some air. He stepped out of the stage door and into the cool New York evening air for a moment. Sage saw where he was headed and joined him. Taylor tried to leave, but there wasn’t a way. Sage stood, blocking the doorway. Taylor looked around for Zac but didn’t see him.

“We need to talk, Taylor,” Sage said. “I’ve given it alot of thought, and I’ve decided you’re just being a baby. You’re not thinking big. You’re looking for something that doesn’t exist. The perfect man. The perfect love. The perfect life. Those things aren’t real. The real world is what we have to deal with.”

Taylor turned so that he wasn’t facing Sage. He couldn’t. He said, “They do exist. I felt it once. I miss him more than anything, but I know it’s real. Sometimes I wonder if he’s ever coming back.”

Taylor could hear the stagehands calling Sage. It was his turn on stage.

Sage said, “This isn’t over. I’ll be back, Taylor,” then turned and walked back through the door.

Taylor stayed outside for a few more minutes. The only sounds came from the music being played inside and the sound of his own words echoing in his head. “Sometimes I wonder if he’s ever coming back.”

Taylor heard footsteps behind him.

“Sage, go away please. Will you please just leave me alone.” he said.

“Are you sure that’s what you want,” I asked.

“Excuse me?” Taylor asked, still with his back turned.

“May I have this dance?” I answered.

It took Taylor a heartbeat to realize it was my voice. He turned around and rushed me, hugging me. Squeezing me tight. He kissed my lips with abandon. I thought I remembered his kiss, but no memory could compare to the reality. His kisses sent an electric spark through me. I stroked his hair and hugged him tight, never wanting to let go.

“I can’t believe your here!” he said, kissing my lips again.

“Believe it, Taylor. I’m home.” I said

Our moment of anxiety passed and we both relaxed, at ease for the first time in the months we had been apart. We were at peace, just happy to be together again, finally. I looked deeply into Taylor’s loving eyes and at his warm smile. I could tell that he missed me as much as I missed him. I put my arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer to me. Our faces were less than an inch apart now. I could feel Taylor’s warm breath on my face, and see the love in his eyes. Our lips parted and we kissed again, the tips of our tongues touching and dancing their familiar dance.

There was no shyness, no awkwardness. We’d been separated by months, and it seemed like no more than an hour. We were in love all over again. He was at my side, and the lightening he brought lit up the landscape for a whole new adventure.

Something...fate or God or time..... was allowing me to experience deeper joy than I ever thought possible. There were moments on the road that I felt unworthy. He could have anyone his heart desired. Was I being selfish assuming that he still wanted me? Then, as always, the thought came to me with the tiny brilliance of a distant star. He was feeling the same way.

“I have been waiting to see you for so long, Jaxsper,” Taylor said, kissing me again. “Where have you been?”

“It’s kind of a long story,” I answered.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Well, neither am I.”

That turned out to be wrong. We could hear the stage hands calling Taylor. It was time for him to go back onstage. Taylor led me back inside, to the catwalk. He told me to climb up, I could get a better view of the stage from there.

“I’ll be right back,” Taylor said. “Don’t go anywhere. Don’t leave me, promise?”

“I promise I won’t disappear again, Taylor,” I said.

“So, you’ll be here when I get back, right?” Taylor asked.

He kissed me again. In the crowd of people, no one seemed to notice.

“And, you’ll be here five minutes after that. And five minutes after that. And five minutes after that, right?” After each sentence, he kissed me again.

“I promise.” I reassured him.

He was called back onstage, and I climbed the catwalk. I could see Taylor looking up at towards me a couple of times while he played in the jam session, but I bet he couldn’t see me through all the lights.

A guard did manage to see me though.

“Hey, you! What are you doing up there?” he said as he climbed the stairs. “Where’s your pass.”

Before I could even answer, the guard’s added weight shifted the catwalk and I was flung to the off, plummeting onto the ground backstage.

The stage was packed. All the performers, from the tour were there. Hanson was the biggest name, but they were joined by other teen performers such as The Moffats and Tatiana Ali, and actors like Sage and Jonathan Jackson and some of the kids from those teen shows on NBC. Stars just this side of famous, who thought that the tour would help boost their careers further. In a way, Taylor was surprised to be a part of this group. Just last summer they packed people in at their concerts. Maybe his manager was right, and their fame was dipping a bit.

All the musicians started playing. They usually jammed on old Motown songs.

Love is here, and oh my darling now you're gone.

This song used to make Taylor miss Jax more, but now it was just simply a song nothing more.

Love is here, and oh my darling, now you're gone.

Taylor glanced up, trying to see Jaxsper up on the catwalk. Jax would like it up there, almost a front row seat. Taylor was happy. It was Jax's first Hanson concert. The lights up on the stage made it almost impossible for Taylor to see anything, though.

You persuaded me to love you, and I did, but, instead of tenderness I found heartache instead.

Taylor looked over at Sage, singing along with the song. He sure knew how to work the crowd. He got all the girls to scream for him. Sage looked back at Taylor. Tay looked away from him, and out into the crowd.

Many of the people in the crowd seemed distracted by something. A few of them pointed over Taylor's head. Taylor glanced up to see if he could see what they were talking about. He took his hands from the keyboard, and tried to shield his eyes from the glare of the lights.

Into your arms, I fell. So unaware.

Squinting his eyes, he could see something. In a heartbeat, he knew. It was Jaxsper! It was strange. Taylor's brain tried to assimilate the information, but it couldn't. The sight was too weird. It was like watching a movie. This wasn't happening. This sort of thing couldn't be happening.

Jax hung from the catwalk by the tips of his fingers, his legs swinging in the air and a fifteen foot drop below. A guard climbed the catwalk, and attempted to grab him, and pull him to safety. There was no sound. He couldn't hear the music, he couldn't feel the crowd around him. His vision, once obscured became perfectly clear. The world suddenly moved in slow motion. The guard reached out for Jax, but it was too late. He fell.

Taylor took a deep breath. He tried to yell for Jax, but he couldn't. There was no sound, his blood ran cold. Then the sick, dull thud.

"Like a watermelon dropped to the ground," thought Taylor. "Why am I thinking that? What am I doing? It sounded like a watermelon dropping to the ground. What a stupid thought."

Without even thinking he turned and left the stage, walking behind the curtain towards where Jaxsper fell. His walk tuned to a jog, then a full out run. His mind raced with visions of what he would find. His only thoughts were of Jaxsper.

Taylor heard a couple of the people in the audience scream. Some of the people on stage ran back to see what happened. It was Taylor who was at Jax's side first.

_______________________

I woke up to the sound of a siren. As my eyes opened, I saw the flash of a red light, flickering through a window. I heard someone moan, then I realized it was me.

"He's coming around," I heard someone yell. I looked up through some sort of black haze. My eyes couldn't quite focus. I saw a paramedic leaning over me.

I tried to reach up but my arms didn't work. I was in an ambulance. Why am I in an ambulance?

In the back of my mind, I asked myself if this was what I was predicting. Was this the reason I had that sense of foreboding? Was this the premonition that nagged at the back of my mind?

No! Please...no. Maybe this is the end, but give me just one more second. I want to say goodbye. I've earned that much. I'd give anything. Risk anything, even more than I already have, to make that second mine.

My world faded to black again.

_______________________

"Jaxsper?" said a familiar voice. "Jax?"

"Mmmph," I answered.

My eyes fluttered open. I could see three faces, crowded above me. The light shown behind them, illuminating them like three angels.

"What.......? Where am I? Who.....?" I said.

"Oh great! That's just what we need! The guy's got amnesia!"

"How could I ever forget your mouth. Hi, Zac," I muttered. I tried to laugh at Zac's joke but it hurt a bit.

"Hey, Jax," Ike said.

I managed to croak out a hello to everyone in the room.

A doctor came into the room and shined a light into each of my eyes. He said that they were responding well. He told me that I was very lucky. No broken bones, nothing. I was sore all over, though. Even my teeth hurt. The doctor said that I had no permanent damage, and that I would probably be up and around tomorrow. They wanted to keep me overnight for observation. That made me feel so much better. I guess that premonition of doom was just me being silly. Now that I had Taylor back, everything would be ok.

A smile crossed Taylor's lips, that made me feel better than any medicine they could prescribe. I could see the struggle cross his face. He wanted desperately to reach out to me, but with the room full of people including his parents, he couldn't.

"So, this is the famous Jaxsper," his Father said. "You sure know how to make an entrance. Jaxsper, the hospital called your mother. She is very worried about you...."

"Oh great," I thought. "My first meeting with Taylor's parents, and now they think I'm some irresponsible, clumsy jerk who runs away."

Walker went on to tell me about how my Mom missed me and stuff. He said that he could help me with arrangements to get back home. I was in no position to argue with him, things being what they were. Diplomatically, he said that he would leave Taylor and I alone for a bit. The little Hansons were tired. Walker and Diane decided to take them back to the hotel, they would leave Taylor to keep me company until visiting hours were over.

"God, Jax. I thought I lost you there. Don't ever do that to me again!" Taylor said when we were finally alone again.

We talked for at least an hour straight. I told him all about my travels with Quick, cross country. Taylor told me that Quick was waiting just outside. That he was really worried about me. He told me that his parents would get Quick a room, at their hotel, for the night if he needed one. Taylor even gave me the hotel's phone number.

__________________

"Hey there. Animal cracker?" Zac asked. "You're Jaxsper's friend. Quick, right?"

Quick raised his head from his hands. What in the world happened? It started out so simple. He met this cute guy on a bus ride to Pittsburgh. He offered this guy a ride to New York. The next thing he knew, he was looking after some runaway in the hospital....with Hanson!

"Guess your name isn't based on your response time. I said, "YOU'RE QUICK, RIGHT?' Are you heard of hearing?" Zac yelled.

Quick laughed and nodded, the duty nurse at the hospital shushed Zac and asked him to be quiet.

"Good. I'm Zac."

Quick mumbled the he knew that. Suddenly, the guy didn't know what to say. He was star-struck. He looked down at the Animal Cracker, still extended to him by Zac.

"Umm, no thank you."

Zac settled down beside him and said, "The rest of my family went back home, but I offered to stay here and look after Taylor. My Dad said he would get you a room at our hotel, if you want. That way you won't have to drive all the way back home tonight. You know, in all the confusion, I haven't had a chance to thank you."

"Thank me? Why?"

"For bringing Jaxsper back to Taylor."

Quick was suddenly more at ease, both with meeting the famous star and with the whole 'helping Jaxsper' thing.

He said, "Please don't. I don't do thanks. I get all red and it's not pretty."

"Well then, forget it." said Zac.

Zac pulled another Animal Cracker out of the box. His eyes bugged out, and he stifled a laugh. He passed the cookie over to Quick.

"Look. It's two elephants having sex!" he said, giggling.

Quick looked down. The cookie was actually two of them, still joined together. He started laughing.

"I wonder if the other animals get offended," Quick said. "You know like 'hey guys, get a room' or something? Or, do the other animals avert their cookie eyes? They say something like, 'let those two have some privacy while they are sharing their tenderness.' Oh yeah, it's a whole scene."

Zac kept laughing and said, "Hey man, you're babbling."

"I do not babble. I occasionally run-on and every now and then I blah-blah-blah."

"Still, it has to be a sign of good luck," Zac said. "Well, maybe not good luck for the elephant on the receiving end. I bet that elephant dong hurts like a mother! Oh, sorry. Did I offend you? I mean, you are gay right?"

__________________________

"Jax, I am so happy that you're ok and you're here!" Taylor said. "Did you really run away from home just to be with me?"

"I did it because I love you, Taylor. It was the only way I could reach you. Why did you stop taking my phone calls?"

Taylor told me that he didn't know. That as far as he knew, I just dropped off the face of the Earth. He would look into why I was suddenly kept from him.

Still, somewhere, I heard the ticking of a clock. It wasn't simply a nagging that I wasn't sure how much longer my Mom could be held off, before I had to return home. It was a strong sense of time threatening to run out, and I grew resentful over an anxiety that seemed groundless. Something was different about Taylor. He seemed to be keeping something from me, but didn't want to talk about it. He dismissed my anxiety with a kiss. He wanted us to focus on the here and now and eased me over our only tension, for now.

"Ouch," I said as he pulled his lips back from mine.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" he asked, looking into my eyes again.

"Yes but it was worth it," I replied.

"Jaxsper, I missed you so much. I love you. Let me show you how much. I hope Zac's mouth isn't the only one you couldn't forget."

I said, "You haven't changed a bit have you?"

Taylor replied, "Oh no. I'm much worse. And, if you remember right, when I'm worse I'm so much better."

He left my side and shut the door and pulled the hospital curtain around the bed. It seemed strange to me though. Almost like he was trying to prove something, either me or himself. I told him that he didn't have to do this. That we could just talk and kiss if he wanted to. I was in no rush, but he told me that he wanted to do this. He wanted to be close to me again.

I was still exhausted, but I summoned up my strength from somewhere. I had been away from his touch for a long time, far too long.

Taylor pulled back the sheet from me, and lifted that stupid paper hospital gown I was wearing. He took my penis in his hand, feeling it firm up at his touch. He bent down and began kissing my balls, then licked them, then took them into his mouth.

My breathing slowed and became rhythmic. It felt so good to feel him again. I shifted so that I was more comfortable, propping myself up on my elbows and spreading my legs wider.

Taylor stroked my penis, all the while continuing to suck on my balls. They barely fit into his mouth. Finally, he let them slip out and placed kisses up the left side of my cock then back down the right. He maneuvered his tongue around the base of my shaft, holding it out with his hand, then bathed the underside of my dick with his hot tongue. He licked along from the base up to near the tip, but didn't touch the head at all. It was driving me crazy. Taylor took his tongue and started exploring the ridges along the head of my dick. He poked at the tiny droplets of precum with his tongue.

He started to slide his mouth up and down quickly over my penis. Taylor held it by the base with one hand and cupped my testicles with the other. It tried to remember the exact sensation of having my cum burst into his mouth, willing myself to remember how good it feels to share that connection with him. I moaned and stammered an endless stream or "Oh yes" peppered with some "I love you, Taylor's" Any pain I felt was gone. I was whole again. I bucked my hips slightly and let out a deep groan. The head of my dick swelled. I could feel it pulsing between Taylor's soft lips as I delivered to him a heavy gush of semen. I wasn't aware I could shoot that much. Another credit to my wonderful lover. I fell back, panting from exhaustion.

Taylor slowly let my penis slip from his mouth. He looked back at me with a sloppy grin, then crawled up to lay in the bed beside me.

Taylor laid his head on my chest and said, "Tell me you're back. Things were so perfect."

Taylor could hear someone coming, and quickly extracted himself from Jaxsper's bed. He peeked out from behind the hospital curtain, to see Sage entering into the room. Taylor made an excuse to leave Jaxsper, and pulled Sage back into the hall.

"What are you doing here?" Taylor asked.

"I decided that I would do the sensitive thing, and check up on your boyfriend. That is him isn't it? What did you call him? Jack or something?" Sage said.

Sage was not happy. Taylor was his. Now some clown appears, and Taylor thinks that it's over? It was only over when Sage had his fill of Taylor.

"I don't have time for this," Taylor said.

"You told me that earlier. I think you said that you would talk to me after the show. The show's over let's talk." Sage said.

"Leave now, please" Taylor said, trying to keep his voice down. He didn't want Jaxsper to hear.

Sage simply did the opposite, raising his voice louder and saying, "What are you afraid of, Taylor?"

"Nothing."

"Are you afraid that Jaxsper will find out that you and I are lovers?"

Zac looked up, to see his brother once again confronted with Sage. This would never do. He walked towards the pair. Quick seeing the whole thing was hot on Zac's heels.

"I said," Sage repeated, "You don't want your friend in there finding out we were lovers."

"I don't love you. Get out of here. Go, please," Taylor said

"But you loved me once. That night we went out. Oh, you regret it now, but up until that moment you LOVED me and you can't deny it and you can't forget it, and you know it.

Zac got even closer. He said, "Get lost, man, before I throw you out of here. I don't think you want the whole hospital hearing you. Taylor told me what you did to him, and I don't think you want word of that getting out either." It was a lie. Taylor couldn't bring himself to tell his brother. Still Zac could tell.

"Kid, you've got quite an imagination." Sage said, smugly.

"Yeah, I do," Zac yelled back, "And right now I'm imagining you in prison. Oh look, the guards are beating you."

Quick came up behind Sage and took him by the arm. He said, "I think you better go."

One of the nurses saw the scuffle and came over. She told all of them that visiting hours were now over, and that they should all leave immediately.

Taylor was able to talk the nurse into letting him at least say good-bye to Jax.

____________________

"Is it true?" I asked, before he was even fully in the room.

"Jaxsper, please. Let me explain. I didn't think I would see you again. I thought you didn't love me."

"Taylor, I never stopped loving you. Just because we were apart. I couldn't. I would never......."

I could feel my side hurt. My eyes teared up. I'm not sure if it was the pain in my side or in my heart. All those....I don't know...psychic feelings I had. All those visions, and yet I was still so blind. The moment of fate wasn't past me, it was upon me.

The nurse said that I needed my rest. She ushered Taylor out of the room. I couldn't believe it. After all I went through to get to him. I gave up everything for him. I was almost beaten up. I destroyed my relationship with my Mom. My money was almost gone. I was in the hospital for goodness sake. I would have done anything to get to Taylor. I never stopped loving him. Now this.

Zac heard him, through the door to his adjoining suite. This was the third time Taylor said that. Zac sighed and walked into Taylor’s room.

“I guess you want to talk to someone about this now?” he said. “I’ve been listening to you whine about it all the way home. You’re not very subtle, you know.”

“Well, if you heard me, why did you wait until now to ask me if I wanted to talk about it?” Taylor said.

“I like to torture you sometimes,” Zac joked. “It’s sort of my hobby. I won’t always be around to help you solve your problems, you know. I like to see what you do on your own. By the way, you really messed things up with that whole ‘Sage thing’. I don’t want to say that I told you so but......”

“I know. Believe me, I know. What can I do about it now? Jaxsper hates me!”

Taylor had been trying to figure out what to do all night, but there was no way around it. He had done the dumbest thing in his life....well, maybe the second dumbest. The first was when he thought that he and Zac could spring off a a see-saw like they saw on a cartoon. This was different, though. This time it wasn’t his brother he hurt, it was the guy he loved. Not that he didn’t love his brother too, but...well you get the point. This one couldn’t be paid for by a simple grounding from his father.

“Well,” Zac said, “The first thing you do is stop making so much noise in here. I was getting ready to watch a movie, you know! The second thing we do is slip in and exchange Sage’s shampoo with Nair. ‘What our victim doesn’t know is that we’ve secretly replaced his normal hair care product with a hair removal solution’ That’s the easy part, though. Anyone as vain as Sage, is just asking for some nice, simple revenge.”

Taylor laughed, for the first time in a long time. Zac had a calming effect on him.

“You know, that Quick is a really cool guy,” Zac said. “I’m glad Dad got him a room here tonight. Did you know that he is into the internet? I mentioned it to Ike. He and Quick started talking in this ‘nerd language’ using foreign words like baud rate and eye-ess-pee and other stuff. They will be yammering on until Quick heads back home tomorrow. I would have like to have talked to him more, myself. Instead, I’m stuck here, listening to you whine about your love life.”

“I’m sorry, Zac.” Taylor said.

“That’s another thing. Stop with the ‘sorry’ already! Both the ‘feeling sorry for myself’ and the ‘I’m sorry’ thing. Stand up for yourself. If you learned nothing more from that dork Sage, then learn this. You're not a victim, so stop acting like one. You know who you want to be with. You've known all along. He's just as scared of everything as you are. So, tell me Taylor, who's going to be the first to step up and say the scary words?”

Zac and Taylor talked most of the night. They cooked up their plans for the next day, tried to find solutions, stopping only long enough to let Zac catch “Guns Over Brooklyn” on the hotel pay-per-view for the fifth time.

Taylor fell asleep on the couch in Zac’s room. He still had a hard time sleeping in a room alone. He hoped that his plan for Jax would mean that he would never have to again.

_____________________

“Ungh!” I groaned.

You know, I guess we take this whole ‘dressing ourselves’ thing for granted. My side still hurt a little, so putting my shirt on was really a pain! There was no way I was asking a nurse in to help me, though. I kinda like pulling up my own pants, thank you very much. Taking them off, that’s one thing, but pulling them up is another.

I took one more look around my room to see if I had forgotten anything. It didn’t look like it. I heaved my giant backpack on, but quickly put it back down again. Maybe I needed to rest for another second. Not too long though, I didn’t want any of the nurses catching me trying to sneak out of the hospital. I guess this ‘running away’ thing was getting to be a bad habit with me.

There was a knock on my door. It was Taylor. I sat down on the bed, while he stood at the door.

“Hi. Gosh, Jax,” he said, “Still stinks like a hospital in here, doesn’t it? No, wait. That’s a kind of verbal distancing. Zac says....Yeah, Zac. He’s been counseling me on ‘saying what I feel and not hiding behind things’ He says I do that to distance myself so that I don’t actually have to say anything. Zac’s sort of the expert on cutting right to the chase, you know. He knows how to just say what’s on his mind. He’s great like that. Wait. I’m doing it again, aren’t I? I’m not saying what I feel, I’m just babbling.”

I didn’t know what to say. It still hurt me to think of Taylor with another guy. To think that he had stopped loving me. He looked at me, but I averted my eyes, instead looking at the backpack beside me.

“Wait. That bag. You’re not packing to check out of the hospital. It’s forever packing, isn’t it?” he said.

“I was thinking of leaving.” I told him. “I called Quick at the hotel this morning. He’s going to pick me up and take me to the bus station. I’m going home. Mom will be furious, but at least I’ll be going home on my own.”

That hurt Taylor more than I meant it to. His face grew sad and angry at the same time. I don’t think he was expecting me to tell him that I was leaving. Still, what could I do? It was obvious from what I heard that he loved someone else.

“So, what were you going to do?” he said, “Slip out and not say anything? Send me a postcard from back home? Is that what you always do when times get tough with us, Jax? Try to leave. You tried that before, when we were in California. Wait, I'm distancing again. I'm sorry. I didn't expect this... your whole leaving thing I mean. Jax, when I thought you were gone from my life, it made me so lonely. I just tried to fill that void somehow. When I was with Sage, it didn’t mean anything. Really.”

I answered, “It did mean something, Taylor. It meant that you would rather be with a jerk like that than be with me. When I heard the two of you talking...... No, I’m the one who’s sorry now. I built up our reunion in my mind so much. I thought that if only I could get to you things would be perfect. I thought you would be frozen in time until I could reach you. I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

“No,” he said, taking a step closer to me, “It’s my fault too. I work too hard. I let my management and commitments to my family control me. I need to feel loved so badly, Jax. Please, say that you’ll forgive me. I know that we can work this out somehow. Isn’t that what our love is all about? How we can beat the odds and be together no matter what. I want to be by your side. We’re gonna see this through, I promise. Say you’ll stay with me.”

He came over to stand beside me as I sat on the bed. Taylor stroked my face so gently with his hand, all the while looking into my eyes. I could see that he was sincere.

“We let ourselves be caught up in fights over silly things,” Taylor said. “All because we’re trying to hide from each other, and I’m sick of it.”

I asked him what he thought we were trying to hide from.

“That we’re partners. That we’re soulmates. I try to hide from the fact that I need your or I can’t go on anymore. Jaxsper, you don’t have to run away again.”

“Taylor, I’m not going to leave you. I don’t think I could even if I tried.”

He looked deep into my eyes. I could see his jaw set, like he finally made a big decision.

“Well,” Taylor said, “I’ve come up with a way to keep you to that. I don’t want you to think that there is anyone else in my heart but you, Jax. And, I don’t want you to think that I’m ever going to let you leave me. I’m not going to make it that easy on you.”

He was so sure of himself, so confident. More than I had ever seen him. He looked up into my eyes and smiled that broad, happy smile that I fell in love with. He was, at that moment, equal parts little boy and grown man. The boy I wanted to hold and protect from any harm in the world, and the sexy lover that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

Taylor slowly lowered himself to his knees. He reached out and took my hand in his and squeezed it.

“Like I said, Jax. I came up with a way to prove I love you, and never let you slip away from me again. Jaxsper Finn, will you marry me?”

"I do not have a chubby ass, I'll have you know," Taylor said laughing, as he climbed the wall. "I have a very nice ass. Just ask Jaxsper."

"Oh, yeah. Like he's completely unbiased. Tell you what Tay, less ass worshipping and more climbing. They're gonna notice we're gone any minute now."

They were running away. Taylor hoisted himself up over the hotel wall, and then helped pull Zac up to join him. When Taylor realized that it was his own mother and the record management who were trying to keep he and Jax apart, he knew that this was the only way they could be together. He knew that the concert would carry on without him. The record company would probably have to come up with some sort of excuse to explain Hanson's absence and Ike would hit the roof, but Taylor didn't care. He almost lost Jaxsper once he wasn't letting him slip from his grasp a second time.

Zac went along too. There was really no way to keep Taylor's running away a secret, at least not from Zac. Besides, Zac had put Taylor and Jaxsper back together twice now. He was just keeping an eye on his investment, and if he had fun running away with them, even better.

Jaxsper figured that he had about two weeks left. Two more weeks with Taylor before he had to get back. His Mom would have to understand. Taylor and Jax would be together, on the road, for two more weeks. Then it was back to reality, to face God knows what kind of punishment from their prospective parents.

"Look, there's Quick's car," Zac said.

The boys hopped down the other side of the wall, ran over and jumped into the car.

___________________________

I kissed Taylor hello and asked, "Did you have any trouble sneaking out?"

He told me that he didn't as he climbed into the back seat with me.

"No wonder your Mom wants to keep you away from me, Tay," I joked, "I am a terrible influence on you. Now you're running away. I think I'm corrupting you."

"Don't talk about my Mom. Ok, Jax?" Tay said.

I left it at that. It really sort of upset him, finding out that his mother did not approve of our relationship.

Taylor tried to change the subject, "Jax, you never did answer my question. Will you marry me? Don't make me have to get down on one knee, in the back seat of this car. Well....unless it's for other things."

"Ewww," Zac said from the front seat.

What I wouldn't do for some privacy right now.

I said, "Tay, are you crazy? I mean, forgetting even for the moment that we're both underage, your Mom doesn't approve of us, and my Mom doesn't even know I'm gay, forget all of that. We're guys! Duh! We can't get..... you know....married."

It was hard for me to even say the words. It embarrassed me for some stupid reason.

"I'm not talking about some sort of official ceremony, Jax. We couldn't be public about it. I mean, just some friends and maybe some of our family there," Taylor said. "Just a commitment to prove that we love each other and that we'll always be together."

I told him that I would have to think about it. The hardest part for me would be having to admit to the fact that I am and always will be gay. Not that I minded. I really don't. It is who I am. It's just...weird. Like this would be the ultimate step, no going back. More people would know that I liked guys. Hey, everyone would.

Taylor said that he would only have to work that much harder, over the next two weeks, to get me to accept before it was time for both of us to go home again.

We drove most of the night. Quick joked that he would have to teach one of us to drive, so that he could get a break. I was really glad that he agreed to come with us, and still surprised that he didn't mind carting two runaway fags around in his car. He and Zac seemed to hit it off pretty well. They talked in the front seat while Taylor and I nuzzled in the back.

We ended up at a hotel. Taylor paid for it. He actually had money, believe it or not, which was good because my money was starting to run out. Taylor got a room for Quick and Zac, and another for us.

We bid Quick and Zac goodnight as they went to their room. They smirked at each other, knowing, I'm sure, that in a minute Taylor and I would be pushing each other over the edge of ecstasy.

In a weird way, I was kinda nervous. Taylor and I had been apart for a long time. Sure, there was that rushed moment in the hospital, but that wasn't the same. I was going to be back in Taylor's arms again. I hoped it would be all he and I were dreaming of the whole time we were apart.

Taylor led me by the hand down the hall, stopping before one of the hotel room doors. "Here we are, Jaxsper. The honeymoon suite," he said with a laugh. "Told you, I wasn't going to give up on the whole 'marriage thing'. I hope that you will consider it."

His shimmering blue eyes alleviated any nervousness I might have hand. He smiled. I smiled back. He unlocked the door and led me by the hand inside.

Ok, it wasn't the classiest hotel. It was just some dumb hotel by the side of the road. The honeymoon suite was actually kind of funny. Pink carpet, fake roses, and of course a giant pink bed.

Still, it must have said 'romance' to Taylor. I could tell when he turned around to face me, once we were both inside the room. The lump in his pants was already pushing out towards me. Taylor gave me an enticing, boyish grin and then impulsively dropped his pants and underwear completely.

I kinda of stood there dumbstruck for a second as he began to stroke his cock up and down. He didn't say anything, just stared into my eyes with a look of desire. He licked his lips, exciting me even more. Then, Taylor stopped stroking and lifted his t-shirt over his smooth, tight stomach and threw it across the room. There he stood entirely naked, hard and starring me dead in the eyes.

My cock was bursting out towards him though my pants. I stood still for a moment, allowing this vision before me to overwhelm my senses. God, I love Taylor. I took a deep breath and threw myself onto him, knocking him onto the bed.

I put my hand to the back of his neck and drew his face to mine. His breath blew on my chin and our lips found each other’s. They wrestled and our tongues fought, as my hands roamed across every part of his body. My tongue never moved so gracefully. I traced across spaces of familiar, pale, white flesh. My hands and mouth simply searched for an area of his body that had not been touched, then made sure it was.

He pulled my shirt off as we rolled back and forth across that ridiculously pink bed. Taylor rummaged around beneath me and tried his best to get my pants off. His dick poked into my thigh as I kissed at his tender neck. Finally, victory was achieved. He lowered my pants to my knees, and I kicked my way free of them.

"The desk clerk said this room has it's own hot tub, Jax. Let's go try it out."

We almost ran on air, me in just my boxers and Taylor so gloriously naked. The hot tub was perfect. Just the right size for two hot boys. Taylor slipped in, the water pooling just around his tight, creamy thighs, and pulled my by the hand in with him. He reached over to turn on the water jets. As he did so, I took his penis in my hand and gently stroked him. He moaned his appreciation.

We settled down in the tub, the steam and heat of the water bubbling around our bodies. The water pulsed and whirlpooled around us, pushing us closer together and priming our every nerve for more bliss. My submerged boxers swirled around the hard, hot pole they covered.

Taylor faced me, straddling my legs and lowering his body onto mine. His hands wrapped around my neck and his tongue explored my mouth. His body ground into mine. His dripping, blond hair slapped against my neck as he pushed his way onto me. My head rested against the back of the tub as his tongue tasted my chest.

The heat of the water was matched by the heat of our sexually charged bodies. Taylor would rise out of the steaming water, then slump back down onto my lap. His penis rubbed against my stomach and his ass ground against my cloth covered crotch. Water droplets dripped down his long eyelashes, cheeks and nipples.

I slid my hands down his slick back to cup his ass. I wanted to get his ass so bad, but I didn't want to pressure him. Now that we were back; I just wanted to be even closer to him. I reached beneath him to pull my water logged boxers off. My dick was aching from the friction between us and throbbed with the joy from being touched by my lover again.

The steam of the hot tub mixed with our panting breath to cause beads of sweat mixed with splashes of hot water which drizzled down our bodies. Taylor's body sort of floated above mine. As he gave me another deep kiss, I lightly pushed his floating body over to the steps and rail inside the hot tub and slid behind him. I let Taylor rest most of his weight against my body as I balanced him against the step. I raised him up, propping his legs on one of the steps, his dick poking its head out just above the water level. It twitched in the cooler air above the hot water.

I swirled his floating pubic hair, just below the water's surface as my hand wrapped once again around his cock. My other hand slid down his stomach, feeling every muscle there, then around him to stroke his ass. I kissed his back as my fingers lightly danced along his crack.

His hands clutched desperately to the sides of the hot tub, his smooth, white face turning red from the heat and passion. I saw his damp, blond hair pressed against his forehead and cheeks. His teeth grinding together, his eyes squinted in delight. Our bodies so close together as he leaned against me. I pressed my wet, warm cock towards his ass. His eyes opened quickly in surprise, as if some distant memory was awakened.

"N-n-n-o, Jax. D-d-don't," he stammered.

I could see that he was anxious over something. I pulled away from his ass and kissed his ear.

I whispered, "It's ok, Taylor. We don't have to do this."

I loosened my grip on his dick, until it was just a feather touch, but continued to stoke him. Taylor leaned his head back to rest on my shoulders.

We stayed there for awhile, Taylor's floating body in my arms. It was Heaven.

He spoke so quietly that I almost didn't hear him. He said, "It's ok, Jax. I'm ready. I want to feel you inside of me. Please, just go slow, ok?"

I assured him that I would. The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt the boy who brought me so much joy.

The water splashed and trickled down our bodies as I carefully lined my cock up with his hot hole. I slowly pushed himself into that hotness, Taylor letting out a light sigh. I kept telling him that I loved him, and thanking him for loving me back. I took my time, making sure that he was enjoying it, and that he was ready for me to push further into him. My hands played with his cock, and rolled his balls which hung low in his sack with all the heat. Finally, I was fully inside of my Taylor.

I tried to control my thrusts into him the best that I could. It was hard, wanting him so badly, but I slowly slid back and forth into Taylor. Our bodies caused the water to splash between us with each push into him.

Taylor's face showed intense concentration, every nerve in his body buzzing with sensation. His grip held tightly on the side of the hot tub. I kissed the back of his neck, and he rolled his head back again, allowing me to kiss his lips once more. I told him that I loved him and that I would always be with him.

Taylor wondered how it could feel so good this time. He moaned in ecstasy as the waves of heated pleasure rolled through his body. His entire form excited by the five or so inches filling him up. He began to move slowly back and forth, meeting Jaxsper's thrust and sliding his dick faster in Jaxsper's gentle hand. It was soon more than he could take. His once loose hanging balls shot up close to his body. His moans grew shaper.

We came together, our spurts matching the jets of the tub. His cum shot into the cool air, then fell back into the water of the hot tub. Our bodies tensed and I lost my balance. Taylor and I toppled back, my dick staying inside of him. We relaxed floated back to the opposite side of the hot tub, gasping for breath. Finally, completely spent, we crawled from the tub, to collapse in the giant pink bed.

I hugged Taylor close, spooning up beside him in the bed. I wondered why he tensed up so much earlier. Why was he so unsure? I made a mental note to ask him if he was ok, but that would wait. Now I just wanted to bask in the glow of a love reunited.

“Still so sure you don’t want to marry me?” Taylor asked as he fell asleep in my arms.

“Here’s Quick, Mom and Dad. You remember him right? Quick, smile for the camera. Nice big smile. There’s a good boy,” Zac said.

“Zac,” Quick answered, talking through his teeth while smiling broadly, “Get that thing out of my face. I’m trying to work here, and I hate cameras.”

Zac wandered around the room with his video camera. It was a habit instilled in him by his father - videotape everything. Besides, Zac had been performing in front of crowds for close to half of his life now, all the while being filmed by his father or a news crew or a video crew, so he was used to it. Having a video camera in his hand was almost second nature.

“I’m just trying to show my Mom and Dad that we’re ok,” Zac said, “I figure I’ll mail them this tape. It will make my Dad happy at least. Now then, enough talk. Let’s get back to taping.”

Zac held the camera away from him and pointed it at his face. He said, “Hi, I’m Zachary Walker Hanson, today’s topic is ‘Mysterious Boys and What They Write On Their Computers.’ The title is a mouthful I know but hey, Oprah and Jerry took all the good topics. Today’s guest is Quick Xairec. Tell me, Quick, what are you typing on that computer?”

Zac zoomed in on Quick’s screen. He thought that maybe he could see what Quick was typing so intently. He caught a few seconds of it, but then Quick shut his laptop, blocking Zac’s view.

Quick was slightly embarrassed. He hoped that Zac didn’t see what he was working on. It was another sex story staring their friend Jaxsper. It was bad enough that Zac somehow figured out that Quick was gay, he sure didn’t want Zac seeing what was on his computer too.

“I told you, Zac,” Quick said, “Keep that thing pointed away from me. I hate cameras.”

“You think that you hate cameras?” Zac said, “You don’t know the half of it. Did Jaxsper ever tell you how he and Taylor met? Now that is a couple who should hate cameras.”

Zac told Quick all about Jaxsper and Hanson’s time while filming “The Real World.” How the show videotaped everything they did, all day long and how Jax and Taylor had to be careful to erase the tapes every night before they were sent out for editing. He told Quick about how the record company saw one of the tapes and how furious they were with Taylor. How the record company threatened the couple and tried to break them up.

“Wow, that’s some story,” Quick said. “You know, I’m a writer...well sort of. I’d like to write their story. It sounds amazing! Want to answer some questions for me?” “Sure,” Zac said, jumping on the bed, “I haven’t even told you the best part yet. How I got the two of them back together. They owe it all to me....and my best friend Toby.”

Quick asked Zac who Toby was. Zac didn’t seem to willing to talk about it. Toby was still a sore subject with Zac. They had the best time together. They were best friends. Sure, they did...stuff together, stuff that some guys do when they’re horny and there are no girls around but it was just stuff. Toby thought it was more. Zac liked his friend but he didn’t want to hurt him. It hurt Zac that he didn’t feel the same way Toby did.

They talked most of the night. Zac made sure to emphasize how it was he who got Taylor and Jaxsper back together. It seemed to Quick that it was almost a ‘Zac story guest staring Jaxsper and Taylor’ but he was able to get the gist of it.

After he thought that he had gathered enough information, Quick opened up his laptop and started typing. Jaxsper really was his muse, and this story seemed incredible. The story just seemed to flow, and Zac had tons of details. Taylor had told him almost everything during the time that Jax and Tay were apart. When he was finished, Quick read it back to Zac and they both said it was the best thing Quick had ever done.

“You left out the part about how it was my idea that Jax and Tay get married,” Zac said, leaning over the bed to watch the TV upside down.

Quick replied, “Jaxsper hasn’t said ‘yes’ yet, though. Do you think he will? It must be weird for him. I mean, I can tell that he loves Taylor, but is it a lifetime kind of love? I know what it’s like to hide the way you feel from the people around you. Taylor doesn’t seem to be as worried about hiding it as Jax does. I think Jax just wants to keep it quiet, so that no one finds out his secret just yet. I can understand. That’s not unreasonable is it?”

Zac sat up again. He looked Quick directly in the eye and said, “No, it’s not unreasonably, but you need to understand that Taylor has always been alone. Even in a huge family like ours, he felt like an outsider. Ike and I, we’re wild we talk and joke about everything. Taylor’s not like that. He’s more sensitive. You know, when he was 13 and just beginning to think that he liked boys, he made a decision then on his own to hide it. He told me later that he did it because he wanted to fit in but of course he couldn’t, not really. There was this longing in Taylor. I could always sense it. I could see his eyes searching for....something or someone when we were on tour. Reaching for a hand that would understand, you know how it is. It broke my heart watching him having to hide so many things. Afraid he was always going to have to be alone.”

Zac spoke so quietly and compassionately. There was no jokes, no weird voices, so silly noises. He spoke like a boy wise beyond his years, one that cared very deeply for his brother. It didn’t last long though. After a moment of clarity, he was back to his usual rambunctious self.

He said, “But he ain’t going to be alone anymore. Not if I can help. I’m going to make sure he and Jax stay a couple. It’s never going to happen if I leave it up to them, though. So, it’s up to me. I’ve done it before and I will do it again if I have to. I will get those two together. Jax is just being silly.”

“I know what you mean. I can see it,” Quick said, “I could see it in his eyes when he first told me he was going to see Taylor. He loves Taylor more than anything.”

“Yeah, and Tay is a mess without Jax. Those two, they deserve each other. They’re just stubborn and stupid. They just need a push in the right direction once in a while, and I’m the guy good for the pushing.”

Zac rolled back and leaned over the bed again to watch the TV. His eyes flashed over to the video camera, left running on the adjacent table. A smile broader than ever before (a real feat for one as happy as Zac) formed on his face, and if you looked closely at him, you could almost make out the light bulb flashing over his head.

“A push in the right direction. I’ve got it, Quick,” he said. “Let me see the story of Jax and Tay you just wrote and give me that camera. It’s perfect. The very thing that held them back and broke them up so long ago will be the thing that brings them even closer together. Now, here’s the plan......”

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