The lobby was all a flutter with people, pointing, whispering and staring. If I hadn't known better it might have been due to the fact that I was tracking puddles of water across the floor. The lobby, while warmer than the outside felt chilly to me. Because I was soaking wet I began to shiver.

Tay pulled me closer to him, the warmth of his body helped soothe my jittery nerves. Ahead the elevator doors opened and we stepped in. We were able to see Chris standing up while putting his hand to his nose just as the elevator doors closed.

I felt strong again, physically, but inside I was a wreck. I was scared shitless. Here I was with my one true love, and yet I was more frightened than a cat on a free way during rush hour. I began to cry and tremble.

"Will, what's wrong, are you ok," Tay asked as he pulled my face around toward his.

"I can't, I just can't, I don't want to ruin your life," I cried.

"Ruin my life, but you've saved it, you've done just the opposite of that," Tay replied tears welling in his eyes.

"But you're about to go onto MTV and declare that you and I are lovers, you're sticking your neck out," I rambled on.

"None of that matters, Will nothing matters to me except that you're safe, and we are together," Tay whimpered.

"But, I'm nothing, I'm just this dumb guy who got lucky, and who acted on an impulse and just happened to save your life," I cried.

"But I love this dumb guy, Will can't you see it, I love you with all of my heart, nothing's going to change that, I used to think that music was the only thing that mattered. I used to say that in all the interviews, but inside I was lost, I felt like there was nothing here for me except music. Now that I have you I see that there is so much more to life. Music is only one small facet of it, I can't ignore my feelings, and my desires and just dump everything I've got into music. If I do that then I'll be throwing away so many wonderful things in life. You being one of them, I want you here with me, I want to be with you. I want my fans, the people who claim to love me for my music to know who you are. To know that if it wasn't for you I'd be nothing. To know that even if there had never been an earthquake in California that I'd feel horrible. To know that now, with you by my side I can conquer every obstacle I've ever come up against. This sounds so damn cheesy but you're my inspiration, the wind beneath my wings," Tay said smiling tears rolling down my face.

"Oh Taylor, I can't begin to reply to that, all I can say right now, this very second is, 'I love you and will always be here for you,'" I cried.

We hugged tightly. The elevator dinged at us and the doors rolled open. Before we could even react a roar of applause hit us from the crowd of fans and employees that stood outside the elevator doors. Tay and I looked up at each other.

"Come on, we've got nothing to loose as long as we've got each other," Tay whispered.

I smiled and winked at him and we walked out of the elevator.

An intern wrapped a large towel around my shoulders and I held onto it. Tay wrapped himself around me as we walked toward the TRL setup. Zac and Ike jumped up from the couch and rushed over to us.

"Will, I had no idea Chris was gonna do something like this," Ike said quickly.

"Man, we've missed you, Tay's missed you," Zac replied as he gave me a quick hug.

"I missed both of you too," I replied returning Zac's hug, pulling Ike in too who smirked at everyone.

"Hey man," Carson said extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you," I replied shaking it.

"We're live right now," Ananda whispered over my shoulder as I turned around.

"Well duh," I giggled at her.

"Nice to meet you," I smiled and gave her a quick friendly hug.

"Well now that all the intro's are over with, it seems that we've got some news," Carson said to the cameras which were rolled up around us.

This was almost too much for my brain to handle. Firstly the bright studio lights took some time to adjust too. Then I noticed the huge fan base that was sitting just behind the cameras. Four cameras rolled around us while one on a jib above us would lower in for close ups of our faces. A monitor in front of us scrolled over topics and subjects Carson was set to discuss. There in big bold lettering was 'Taylor's Relationship?'

"Well, I guess I do kinda have an announcement to make," Tay said as he sat back in the couch.

"Before you start, we're going to roll the feed taken only minutes ago during our normal TRL broadcast," Carson spoke to the camera.

The screens around us flashed to a different view and a caption read 'Only moments ago.' I saw Ike, Tay and Zac sitting on the couch talking about their new album which was supposed to be released with in the next month. Then suddenly they all turned around and looked at the window. A faint clinking was heard, briefly you could see that something was hitting the windows. Tay stood up and looked out down toward the crowd.

The camera showed the crowd of fans outside in the rain, and there I was looking like I had fallen off a building top laying on top of the crowd that was audibly chanting 'Taylor' repeatedly. The scene unfolded and showed Tay and myself hugging and kissing then Tay decking Chris and then us entering the elevator. I glanced over at Tay and swallowed hard looking a bit nervous. Tay on the other hand seemed to be perfectly comfortable.

I noticed that during this replay the entire studio had been totally silent. Not one word had been muttered by anyone, including the fans. The replay finished and the jib lowered toward Tay and myself.

"Well Carson, and all you guys, I'm sure you remember, the earthquake," Tay started.

"How could we forget, we lost many friends and family that day," Carson injected quickly.

"Yes, I know, well Will happened to be attending the kick off tour that day, he had all an all access pass and we had met him briefly before our first press conference," Tay continued.

I looked out into the crowd of fans. All of them were staring intently at Taylor. Some looked sad, some looked happy others just looked kind of blank. I wasn't sure as to how they were going to take this news.

"I had run into him again after the conference and we were in the elevator when the quake hit," Tay continued.

As Taylor recounted everything I began to remember much of the disaster. It all replayed in my mind. Only now I knew that after the helicopter crash the rest was a horrible concussion induced dream. We in fact had not lost Geri. We hadn't gone horseback riding with Lynda Carter, nor had we found Barbara Eden or been air lifted by Zac in the nick of time. That plus all of coastal California remained intact.

"So actually you two kept saving each other's lives over and over," Ananda asked.

"Yeah, it's kinda wild," Tay replied.

"That is wild," Ananda said with a smile.

"So basically you and Will are an item now," Carson asked.

"More than that Carson, I love Will, he means the world to me, he's saved me in more ways than one," Tay said smiling looking over at me.

"We haven't heard much from you Will, what is your take on this," Carson asked.

I took a deep breath.

"Well, basically it happened just like Tay said, only I had the misfortune of having a horrible dream when I was knocked out, in it all of California was destroyed and all."

"I bet you were glad you could wake up from something like that," Ananda laughed.

"Yeah I'm tellin' ya," I smiled.

"Lets take some questions from these guys," Carson said as the cameras swung around toward the fans. About all of their hands jumped up at once.

"You in the red shirt in the front," Carson pointed out.

"Hi, I'm Katie from New Jersey, I was wondering, Taylor do you still like girls," she asked almost in a whisper.

"Oh sure Katie, I've got nothing against girls," Tay replied.

"But does that mean you won't," she started.

"Oh, well I mean, I'm with Will so I'm not available and I don't see myself being available anymore," Tay said as he wrapped his arm around me.

She smiled an unconvincing smile and sat down. About half of the people lowered their hands. It was rude of me to think it but I thought it was funny how most of those fans had some kind of idea in their minds that they might have ever had a chance with Taylor at all to begin with. But when I considered my case and how we had met, I realized I was being snobby. I felt bad for thinking that.

"You in the orange," Carson pointed out to a guy in the back row.

"Yeah, um when did you know you were gay," he asked.

"Who's that directed at, me or Will," Tay asked.

"I guess whoever wants to answer," he replied sheepishly.

"Well, I don't think there really is a gay or straight or what have you, I just feel like anyone can fall in love with anyone," Tay replied.

"I agree, really I mean, yeah," I replied.

"Cool," was all he said as he sat down.

"We've got time for about two more, you in the Hanson shirt," Carson said.

"Um, I'm Allisa from Rhode Island, aren't you worried you'll loose fans by coming out like this," she asked.

"No, because if they were true fans they wouldn't care who I loved or what I do in my personal life," Tay replied.

"I mean, wouldn't a real fan be happy that he's happy," I added.

"I guess so," she replied sitting down, then standing back up quickly.

"Ike, Zac you guys aren't gay are you," she asked suddenly.

"Oh, well, no I mean I've always liked girls like any other guy," Ike replied kind of taken off guard.

"Zac," she asked.

"Let's just say I'm open minded," Zac replied with a huge grin. Tay and Ike both looked over a bit unprepared for that one. About half the studios eyebrows shot up too. I was sure Chris Sabec felt his world coming apart at the seams at that moment. It made me giggle.

"Ok time for one more, you in the gray sweat shirt."

"Hi, I'm Noah from LA visiting my grandparents because of that earthquake thing, um Taylor was that your manager or something you decked downstairs earlier," he asked.

"Um yeah, it was," Tay said with a slight grin.

"What was that about," he asked.

"Well, let's just say, he's responsible for all this confusion today, he tried to split up Will and myself," Tay replied.

"That sucks, thanks, oh by the way, you two make a cute couple," Noah said with a shy smile as he sat down.

"Thanks man," Tay smiled back at him.

"Well guys any thing to say before we close this special extended edition of TRL," Ananda asked.

"Yeah," Tay said looking into the camera.

"We are still Hanson, the same group we were thirty minutes ago, we still sing, we still play music and we still care about our fans, if you, our fans care about us my relationship and personal life won't make one difference to you. If anything you'll be happy, if you're not I'm sorry but I'm living my life and my family is behind me," Tay said as he turned back to me and kissed me with out my expecting it.

This kiss was a quick one because I pulled back and looked at Tay in mock horror. He started giggling.

"Oh, Cassandra, thanks so much for the help, contact us," I said into the camera.

I looked over at Tay who seemed confused.

"I'll tell yah later."

"Well that's all for this edition of Total Request Live, join us tomorrow when we'll have the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, until then this is Carson Daily see ya later," he finished.

The fans were ushered out, some waved others looked uninterested. Once the studio was empty of the public Carson and Ananda walked back over.

"We're gonna let it clear out before you guys leave back for the hotel," Ananda said as she flopped down beside me and Tay.

"That's cool, until we can assess the damage I think we should lay low," Ike replied.

"I'm so glad you guys came out, maybe it will help some of the other entertainers realize that being yourself is the most important thing," Ananda replied.

"Well you can never tell what something like this will do, I mean I think the circumstances are a bit different here, what with you two and the earthquake thing. Most people can take it better because you two saved each others lives," Carson said.

"Well we are behind them all the way, the only person who wasn't was Chris, I'm not sure what his position is now, now that Tay popped him one," Ike commented.

"He deserved that, do you have any idea how wrong he was for doing some shit like that," Tay defended.

"What happened," Ananda asked.

"We flew in today from Tulsa, and when we got off the plane Chris separated Will and I and tried to have Will flown back to Miami," Tay replied hugging me closer.

"Yeah, we were about to get into the van and Chris jumped between me and Tay and told me to use the other door on the other side, I went around and there was no door," I replied.

"What an asshole," she replied looking pretty shocked.

"Yeah, so I ended up running from two Island representatives and like ran out into the city trying to find a way here, that's when I ran into this nice girl named Cassandra who gave me one hundred dollars to take a cab here and traffic in the Square was so bad I got out and ran and then the rest is on tape," I replied.

"Now that's true love," Ananda smiled.

"Naw true love would have been going on foot," Carson snickered.

"In Queens, you're outta' your mind boy," Ananda said as she smacked at him.

*          *          *          *          *

An hour later, warm and snuggled in bed I looked out the rain streaked window of our eighth floor room in the Plaza Hotel. The hair dryer in the bathroom switched off. I rolled over on my back and looked over as Tay walked in toward the bed. Wrapped in a large whit bathrobe brushing his just dried hair with his fingers.

"God you're beautiful," I whispered. Tay smiled at me and untied the robe, it dropped to the floor, uncovering his naked body.

I nearly gasped, this was the first time I had set eyes on Taylor's bare body. His gorgeous shoulders and developing chest muscles were pale and soft. My eyes drifted lower toward his stomach and definite stomach muscles.

Lower, following the light blond happy trail to something I thought I'd never see. Truly he was built like a dream. His features while still boyish showed signs of work and exercise. My eyes traveled back up to his face, which was glowing with a bright soft smile.

"I figured, it was time to expand our horizons just an inch or so," Tay said quietly as he walked closer, lifted the covers and slid into the bed beside me. He slid over until our bare hips touched.

"Uh, more like six inches or so," I smirked as I felt him brush against my bare hip.

"Slow is the way to go," I whispered to him before we fell into a deep kiss.

I kissed my way down to his neck, and across his chest. He sighed. I looked up.

"It's time for me to make up for this morning at the pancake house," I smiled. That morning felt like months ago already.

Tay smiled at me.

"Is that ok," I asked, wanting his total permission.

"It's wonderful, something I've wanted ever since I saw you," he whispered.

I smiled at him and sank beneath the covers. Kissing my way across his soft warm skin. With each passing second his skin became damp with sweat. I found my target and enveloped him in my mouth. He was nearly more than I could take. I under estimated him, six inches was a sever error. I heard him groan, and his hips began to buck. Suddenly I felt cool air on my neck and I opened my eyes to see that he had thrown back the covers.

"I want to see you," he gasped. I smiled up at him without stopping.

"Oh God, I'm so close," he gasped.

I continued, feeling his hands running through my hair, pressing me down further. My mind spun. His sweet smell, the taste was intoxicating, I felt like I was drunk on the finest wine the world has ever known. He bucked his hips harder, raising up off the bed. I felt his body tense, he groaned and thrashed. I continued until he had relaxed. A limp pile of smiling, sweating teenage boy. I raised my head, mouth full smiling.

Before I could react he pulled me up and kissed me. His tongue darting into my mouth. He moaned as it spilled across his chin and down his neck. I swallowed and gasped for breath, his tongue still lashing wildly in my mouth. Soon my tongue returned the frantic play and I collapsed into his embrace.

"I've always wanted to do that," he breathed into my ear.

"If you had told me I would have been a bit more prepared," I giggled quietly into his ear.

"But isn't it more fun when you don't know what I've got planned.

"Exactly," I replied as I moved against his soft warm thigh.

Mere seconds had past before I was frantically grinding my self against him. I looked into his eyes and he smiled at me. He pulled my face down to his and we kissed. I exploded and fell against him in a pile.

"I feel sorry for the poor lady who's gonna have to change these sheets," Tay giggled.

"Oh Tay, you know just what to say to make a moment memorable for a life time," I breathed at him in mock adoration.

"I love you, so much," Tay replied looking over in to my eyes.

We rolled onto our sides facing each other, the last thing I saw before I fell asleep was his deep blue eyes.

"I love you too."


On to Chapter Twelve

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The Day the Earth Moved is Copyright © 2000 by Taylor W. Quest.
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All applicable copyright laws apply. All individuals depicted are fictional with any resemblance to real persons being purely coincidental.

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