"So you're sure it's ok?" Thalia inquired. Jayden had finished telling her tale of Taylor's proposal, which shocked Thalia nearly as much as it had herself. When asked if it was a secret, Jayden had said that only herself, Zac, Taylor, & now Thalia knew.

"You really should tell the police," Thalia had announced,"Maybe it just works in the land of Hollywood fiction, but it might help Taylor if he has a bit of young-love-in-distress story to back him up in court."

"Ohhhh, damnit," Jayden moaned, the newscast only now hitting her once again.

"I'll tell your parents, if it'd be easier on you..." Thalia had offered, though meekly,"But I really think an adult should know about this."

After a minute or so of contemplation, Jayden had nodded reluctantly. Now, at Thalia's questioning, she reaffirmed her decision.

"Yes."

So the two made their way down the two flights of stairs from the attic to the main floor. Pausing just outside the entryway to the living, where her parents sat watching 'The Practice', Jayden stopped.

"Thal, I'm going to call Zac & ask him to come over, ok? Just in case I maybe... forgot something... when I told you," Jayden whispered, so as to prevent her parents from noticing the pair hovering around the doorway.

Nodding, Thalia put on a cheery exterior and practically bounced into the living room.

From in the kitchen, where she found the cordless phone, Jayden could hear her chattering noisily with her parents, making mindless small talk. When Jayden's mother & father began to ask where their daughter was, Thalia said, in a hush-hush tone, that she was in the washroom. 'Woman problems' she had whispered to Jayden's mom.

Had Jayden not been so nervous dialing the Hanson's house, she would have been beet red with embarrassment.

"Hi, Zac?" Jayden asked when the phone at the other end of the line was picked up. She was 99% positive that the voice belonged to Zac, and pleased that she wouldn't have to wait around as another member of the family put on a vocal search for him.

"Yeah. Who's this?"

"Uh, Jayden..."

"Oh, hey. What can I do for ya?"

"Can you come over here? Like, right now?"

"I would but... This place is pretty intense at the moment-"

"Zac, please... I know what's going on & I really, really need you here."

Zac was oblivious to the tiny smile that crept upon his face. His mind was focused on one thing and one thing only: She needs me...

"I'll be there in five."

Click.

Zac kept his word, and within five minutes, Jayden had ushered him into the living, where Thalia remained. The room was silent, aside from the television. Jayden's parents exchanged curious looks, glancing at the trio sitting on the couch, speechless.

Noticing her parents' confusion, Jayden shot a pleading look at Thalia and an apologetic one at Zac.

Thalia, taking the hint, inched forward on the couch and looked at the two adults whose eyes intently shifted back and forth.

"There's something Jayden needs to tell you," Thalia began,"but she's asked me-"

"And me," Zac added.

"...to talk to you."

Before Thalia could continue, the mouths of Jayden's parents were wide open.

"Jayden, you're not... pregnant? Please tell me you're not- "

"No, Mom, no," Jayden said quickly, reassuredly. Both parents breathed a huge sigh of relief, then looked to Thalia to continue.

"Now, it's about Taylor... You see, a few weeks ago... Well, right before he was last seen..."

And by time a half hour had passed, Jayden was curled up next to her mother, who was doing all she could to console her distraught daughter. Constant reassurances that Taylor disappearance was not her fault, though they had held little effect when uttered by Taylor or Thalia, seemed to provide comfort for Jayden when spoken by her mother.

"Should I call my parents & ask them to come over here?" Zac asked timidly, feeling incredibly uncomfortable,"I think they should know now..."

Receiving a small nod of approval from Jayden, her father agreed. Zac jumped up & darted into the kitchen to use the phone, thankful for having an excuse to leave the tension-filled room.

"I think I should get going..." Thalia said, not wanting to impose,"Call me, Jayden..."

"Thanks, Thal... For everything," Jayden said, returning to a sitting position & managing a small smile.

"Zac, why the hell didn't you tell me this before?"

Zac whirled around to face Jessica, who was sitting on the floor of his bedroom with her arms folded across her chest, trying her best to be imposing.

"Jess, please, don't start on me... Mom & Dad are giving me enough grief, thank you very much. And since when do you curse?"

"Since now," she snapped, then asked pointedly,"Did you tell Jayden?"

Zac nodded.

Jessica scowled,"So you'd rather not betray the trust of some girl-"

"She's not just 'some girl' ok? Maybe if you actually got to know her you'd see that," Zac interrupted, his voice heated,"And besides, what good would it have done to tell everyone? Make Jayden feel even worse than she already does, maybe?"

Jessica frowned,"I don't think anyone is blaming her, Zac. If anything...," she paused thoughtfully.

"... Taylor's the one to blame."

"Your saying our brother is responsible for his own disappearance and possible kidnapping?" Zac scoffed, raising his eyebrow. His little sister was acting more & more out of character with each passing day...

"Oh please, you mean to tell me that you're not convinced he flipped out & ran away by his own will?" she sneered,"Zac, he robbed convenience stores. Taylor in a normal state of mind wouldn't risk jail for a bag of potato chips & some cash."

Zac, unable to think of a suitable comeback, simply tossed his hands in the air.

"Jessie, I don't know what - This is just- Where's Ike?"

"Hmmmm, the last I saw, he & Dad were telling off the reporters out front... but that was right after you got home," she answered, visibly pleased at having beaten Zac in their small verbal fighting match.

Jessica then began biting her lip nervously,"Zac, just a warning, Ike's been pretty miserable today..."

"I'll keep that in mind, and thanks," Zac said, darting out the door & into the hall.

Despite searching the house & yard thorougly, Isaac was nowhere to be found. Cautiously, Zac approached his parents, who were seated in the living room.

"Uh, hi..."

His parents stopped their quiet conversation & turned to look at their son.

Okay... Not the friendliest look they've ever given... Zac thought, growing more tense by the second.

"I was just wondering if, you'd... seen Ike anywhere," he said quietly, avoiding his parents' eyes with his own.

"He said he was going for a walk & wasn't sure when he'd be back," Diana said, her voice monotone.

"Oh... Ok," Zac said, edging towards the front door. He finally gained the nerve to look at his parents, but their attention was no longer on him.

"I really am sorry, you know. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone."

Zac turned & placed his hand on the doorknob, hoping for a response, even an angry response. His parents had never been so silent towards him... and it scared him.

So Zac waited, hands trembling. But no one spoke. He turned the doorknob, stepped out, and just when the door was a mere inch away from closing, he heard his father, in the faintest, most sorrowful voice imaginable, say...