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Chapter 32 - Safe

Taylor woke up remembering where he was. He had been taken to a hospital and given his own private room. He had gotten some much needed sleep. They had asked him questions about what happened, but he couldn't get himself to answer them. He stayed silent, not totally sure why he didn't want to speak to these people, they just saved his life. All he wanted was to be with his family. He couldn't feel completely safe without them. He turned his head over to see Officer Conrad sitting in a chair reading a book.

"Hello." Taylor said quietly. Officer Conrad looked up from his book.

"Ahh so you can talk. We were getting worried there for a while." He said with a smile on his face. He walked over to Taylor and put his hand on his forehead. "I have no idea what hell you've been through Taylor, but you're not in the best shape right now. The doctors just want you to rest." Taylor nodded his head.

"Where is my family?"

"They're on their way here. They left the second they found out that we found you. They should be here in a few hours."

"I can't wait to see them."

"I'll bet."

"I'm guessing my letter got there, huh?" Officer Conrad laughed.

"Yes Taylor, yes it did. I have no idea how you mailed that, but it got there and I can see it got there just in time."

"You guys couldn't have had better timing." Taylor said, letting out a little laugh. It was almost unbelieveable that they came when they did. A minute later he would have been dead. "Who shot Ron?" He asked, remembering what had happened.

"One of my men. He snuck around behind you guys and shot him."

"I thought I saw someone."

"You can meet him later."

"I'd like that."

"So I'm guessing you have quite the story to tell."

"You could definitely say that." Taylor shook his head. "I can't believe I'm still alive."

"Well we're happy to have you alive." He smiled. Taylor smiled back at him. "I'm going to go now. I won't be too far. If you need anything ring the nurse. You should just lay here and relax, maybe watch some TV." He handed Taylor the remote. "I think you might like to see what CNN is airing right now." He patted on the head and walked out of the room. Taylor watched him go then he turned on the TV with the remote and looked for CNN in the channels. He found it. He was amazed by what he saw written on the screen.

Breaking News: Taylor Hanson found.

He laid there watching the coverage of his rescue. It seemed surreal. He couldn't believe he had been rescued. He expected to wake up from this dream at any time. But it wasn't a dream. He really was safe now. He turned all his attention to the TV and watched as police officer and eye witness reporters spoke of what they saw. Then it went back to the CNN anchor.

If you're just tuning in, Taylor Hanson has been found alive. It is truely a great day for the Hanson family..."

Indeed it was.

* * *

The hours passed by slowly and Taylor had drifted off back to sleep. He was awakened by the sound of knocking at the door.

"Come in." He said, sitting up. Officer Conrad opened up the door and stepped in.

"Taylor there are two people here who would like to see you." He said with a smile on his face. He stepped back, letting them walk in. The biggest smile ever grew on Taylor's face when he saw his parents enter the room. They stood there in the entry way, just looking at their son like they couldn't believe he was there. Diana was the first to approach him. She walked over slowly and took Taylor's face in her hands, like she had to feel him to make sure he was real. Taylor looked up at her with his blue eyes filling with tears.

"Mom" is all he could get out. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. He did the same.

"Oh Taylor, I love you so much." She said with tears streaming down her face.

"I love you too." He said. Over his mother's shoulder he saw his father walk over to him. He let go of his mother and looked up at his father. He too had tears in his eyes. He had never seen him cry before.

"Taylor...I'm so sorry." Walker let out. Taylor shook his head and reached up wrapping his arms around his father's neck.

"Don't be sorry. I'm here now. It's ok now." Taylor said in his ear as he embraced him. After about a minute in his father's arms they pulled away. Diana took Taylor's hand and kissed it.

"We were so worried about you." She said.

"I know. I was worried about you guys."

"We have nothing to worry about now." Diana said, holding his hand tightly in hers. Walker looked at his son, he looked very beat up.

"He hurt you." Walker said sternly. Taylor nodded his head slowly.

"Yes. He did." He replied.

"That bastard." Walker said. Taylor seldom heard his father sweaer.

"Dad don't get mad now. This is a happy time. Let's all just be happy. I need to be happy." Taylor said almost begging. Walker stroked Taylor's hair.

"I will do everything I can to make sure you are sad again." Walker said. Taylor nodded and wiped his eyes.

"Where's everyone else?"

"They're only letting us come in two at a time, except for Mac and Zoe. I'll bring them in later." Diana answered.

"How have they been...the rest of the kids?"

"This has been hard on all of us. I think Ike took it especially hard though. He needs you Taylor. He has been blaming himself for this ever since you disapeared."

"I was afraid of that."

"Well," Diana said, "Everyone is very anxious to see you. As much as we don't want to leave you, we're going to let the others come in." Diana kissed his hand again and released it. She leaned over giving him another hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm so happy to have you back." She whispered. She released him and Walker gave him another hug as well and then they walked out of the room. Taylor wiped his eyes. He couldn't believe how emotional he felt. It was overwhelming. Then he heard another knock on the door. He looked up to see Isaac and Zac standing there.

"You know. You guys really don't have to knock." Taylor laughed, feeling the tears coming on again at the sight of his brothers. They walked over and without saying anything gave him two huge hugs. The three of them were silent, just looking at each other. They had so much to say, but so little to say at the same time. These were his brother's, his best friends, his favorite people and it felt like they hadn't seen each other in decades.

"Tay...I'm sorry." Is all Ike could get out. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Ike."

"Yes it is. I made you run out that day."

"Isaac, listen to me. If Ron hadn't gotten me that day, he would have gotten me on another day. He was very determined. It would have happened no matter what."

"I wish it would have been me instead of you."

"No you don't, Ike." Taylor responded. Isaac shook his head back and forth. Taylor looked over at Zac who hadn't said anything.

"Zac, are those tears I see?" Taylor asked with a smile on his face. Zac quickly reached up and wiped his eyes, not even realizing he was crying.

"Yeah..well...these are man tears." Zac said confidently. Both Taylor and Isaac laughed. Taylor reached out for Zac and gave him another hug.

"I missed you, Zac. More than you know."

"God I missed you too." They pulled away from each other.

"Are you hurt really bad?" Zac asked. Taylor nodded.

"Nothing deadly, but I'm hurting, yeah."

"What all did they do to you?"

"They beat the shit out of me. It was torture guys." Taylor said. He looked down at the floor. Isaac and Zac looked at each other, not really knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry, Tay." Zac said. Taylor looked up at him and smiled.

"It's ok. It's over now."

"Yeah and soon we'll get the band started again and everything will go back to normal." Zac said. Taylor looked at him sadly.

"I don't know when I'll be up to that, Zac. It's going to be a while before things are back to normal."

"Take your time, Tay. We don't need to rush anything." Isaac said.

"Thanks."

"Well I'm guessing the little kids are driving mom and dad crazy right about now so we better leave," Isaac laughed "We'll be back soon, ok?" He leaned over and gave Taylor another hug. Zac did the same.

"Ok. I love you guys."

"We love you too." Zac and Isaac said together. They waved good bye and walked out.

* * *

A few hours later Taylor had had his visits with everyone. Every now and then police officers would show up and ask Taylor if he was ready to tell his story of all that happened. He never knew if he would be ready to tell it, but he knew he had to. They scheduled the next day to be the day that he would talk about it. He wanted his family to be there to hear it and the police agreed.

The next day came and the police officers came into his room along with his family and they all sat around him, anxious to hear what he had been through. The room filled with emotion, tears, and heartache as Taylor told his story of being taken to the house in the car, Mark being shot, Holden, Andrew, the beatings, his room, the piano, how the letter got mailed and everything else that went on in his time there. When he was finished he looked at his family, all of them were in tears. The officers got up and shook Taylor's hand and thanked him for the information. They walked out and he and his family were left alone in the room together. Diana was the first to stand up and walk over to him.

"I'm so sorry" was all she could get out. With that the rest of the family stood up and went over to him each giving him hugs. This was exactly what he needed, what he had been longing for. He had never felt more loved than he did right then.

* * *

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