I woke up to see someone leaning over me. I screamed waking up Will. It was just Zac.

"ZAC! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?"

"Will and you breathe the same. Did you know that? I bet you guys have the same heartbeat."

Will muttered a smirk on his face, "You've been hanging out with Daphne too much recently. You're starting to go soft."

"I'm not soft," Zac replied disgusted, "You guys with your lovey-dovey bullshit are soft."

He got up and left the room.

"Ouch, what was that all about?" Will asked.

"You hurt Zac's pride. He likes being seen as the mean prick sometimes," I replied.

"Oh, well if he keeps THAT up it won't be too hard," Will mumbled.

"What was he talking about though?"

I twirled my finger through Will's hair as he explained to me about Daphne's little 'Breathing Philosophy.'

*          *          *          *          *

"Shit, I can't view any of this crap," Fox growled.

"Hush, lemme see," I said sliding over to the computer.

"It's all garbled, and the files aren't readable."

I smiled, "That's because it's encrypted."

"Great, so how do we undo that?" he asked agitated.

"Give me a little bit. If I can't figure it out, I'm sure one of our cryptologists here can crack it," I smiled.

"Ugh," he grunted.

"Go get some coffee," I smiled.

He clumped out of the room muttering something. I began to wonder if he was perturbed because his latest assignment meant chasing a group of teen idols all over the United States. Heck, it didn't bother me. If I was younger I know I'd have been swooning over the Hansons.

I smiled to myself and continued trying to understand the encryption codes that Evan had locked the files with. They were multi-layered, and very complicated which meant Evan knew these files were important. I had a feeling the identity and plot behind it all sat in front of me on the computer screen.

"Come on Dana," I muttered to myself.

*          *          *          *          *

"ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR HANSON," we screamed.

The crowd broke out into a roar of cheers and screams.

Amber smiled and said, "Well we hoped you guys enjoyed our set. We have one more song to play, and then HANSON will be here."

"This song is dedicated to you, New York!"

Cristin added, "That's right. Daphne for all of you who didn't know was born and raised here, and Freezer Burn has been residing her for a while. If you want to check us out do so by going to our official site, and we'll be at a signing at the Virgin Megastore next month for the release of our CD. This next song is our first single which is now available in stores."

The audience was phenomenal. I squinted past the lights and swore I could see some of the faces of my friends and family. I couldn't believe I was actually playing at a major venue in New York City. It was absolutely amazing. When I sang the cheers grew louder. I couldn't help, but smile. We finished the song, and the cheers increased.

"YOU GUYS ROCK! YOU'RE AWESOME," I yelled from behind the drums,

"We're Freezer Burn. Be sure to request our song on the radio, buy our CD, AND feel free to email us because we are having a contest on our site where you can win some awesome stuff signed by both Freezer Burn and HANSON!"

The screams got louder. We shook a few of the people's hands in the front row, and then ran of the stage. The stage crew ran out to prepare the stage for Hanson. I ran back to the dressing room and knocked. Will opened the door a crack and peeked out. He smiled when he saw me.

"Hey, Daph! Come on in," he said opening the door a bit more just for me to be able to squeeze through.

"Are the guys naked?" I asked pausing a bit.

"Nope," he replied.

"Damn," I exclaimed with a laugh as I pushed my way through.

"I want to go in the dressing room," Cristin and Amber said.

"Too bad," Will answered slamming the door in their face.

"Will," I began.

He held up his hand.

"I've been nice to them since you girls started opening for the guys. Tonight is your last night, and I'm tired of having to pretend I can even stand them."

"Okay," I replied throwing my hands up, realizing there was nothing I could do about it so why worry about it all.

Taylor was leaning over in front of the mirror putting the finishing touches on his makeup. Isaac was frantically messing with his hair. Zac just sat there in his chair drumming his fingers on the counter. He looked over at me, and then turned away. His lips formed into a frown and his eyebrows furrowed. I walked over and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, excuse me, I'm looking for an incredibly hot talented drummer by the name of Zac," I said.

"Oh, he just stepped out. Can I take a message?" Zac mumbled.

"Yeah, when he gets back can you tell him this," I replied leaning down and placing a short, but sweet kiss on his lips.

That mischievous grin formed on his lips.

"Um, I think I missed that last bit, could you repeat that ... only a bit more slowly this time?" he asked.

Zac pulled me into his lap, and we kissed.

We broke the kiss just in time to see Taylor spin around and ask Will, "Will, is my foundation good?"

"Tay, you look perfect," Will replied with a smirk.

"I have a zit showing, don't I," Tay snapped.

Before anyone could say another word the door opened, and Jammer poked his head in. He scowled when he saw Will and I in the dressing room with the guys.

"The stage is ready, and the fans are waiting. Also after the show there is some paperwork you guys have waiting for you back on the bus about the release of the next single, and the music video for it. I'm going to need it tomorrow."

"Why so soon," Tay asked, "I mean that hardly gives us time to really look it over."

"Well I just got it as well, and the company needs a decision."

"Bullshit," Zac snapped, "They can friggin' wait. We're not signing anything until we look it over carefully. Plus we can't do it tonight. Tonight's my last night with Daphne. I'm spending it with her."

Jammer hissed, "Zac, there are some things in life that are more important than others."

"Yes, and that is why I am spending tonight after the show with Daphne," he replied.

Jammer looked to Isaac and Taylor for help, but Tay and Jammer had never been fully on good terms since he decked him at TRL because…why did he hit him, or was it even Jammer at all? I shook my head as a throbbing pain came to it. Wait, he never punched him. Did he?

"Tell managment that we'll have all the papers to them before the end of the week, but tomorrow is just unrealistic. Not only do we have to look over them, but our manager and entertainment lawyers have to look those over," Ike explained.

Jammer went to open his mouth, but Tay held up his hand motioning for him not to say another word.

"This conversation is over for now," Tay told him crossing his arms.

Jammer growled and left the room.

"I'm sorry you guys had to see that," Ike apologized, "now if you'll excuse me, I want to run back out to the bus real quick before we take the stage, and make sure Shiye is alright."

Ike left the room in an awkward silence.

I glanced over at Taylor, he had turned back to face the mirror. He had began to apply some light flesh tone eye shadow to his lid when he closed his eyes and trembled a little bit.

"Shh, come here," Will said quietly turning Tay around to face him.

"Look at me," he whispered.

Tay looked up into Will's eyes as Will ran his fingers across his cheeks through his hair.

Zac sat quietly watching through the mirror reflection. Part of me wanted to say something, to move or get up, like I was seeing something I wasn't supposed to see. But another part was in awe watching them.

"I," Tay started.

"Shh," Will whispered.

Tay continued to look into Will's eyes. I noticed he had stopped trembling, and he had a faint smile on his face.

Will leaned in close and kissed him lightly on the mouth rubbing his nose against Taylor's. I thought I heard him whispering quietly, but I wasn't sure.

"Thanks," Tay sighed with a smile as he turned back to the mirror.

My mind was spinning as well. Just watching those two, how they each affected one another. One's pain instantly bringing out the ability to calm in the other, ones happiness causing the others sadness to lift, it was amazing.

"I should probably go," I whispered sadly finally realizing that tomorrow I would wake up without Zac next to me.

For the past few weeks he had snuck onto my bus, I had snuck onto his bus, or we had snuck into each other's hotel rooms. I wonder what it was going to feel like tomorrow when I woke up alone.

"Daph?"

"Yeah," I replied quietly.

"You okay," he asked me reaching out to push some hair out of my eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I need to go though because a lot of my friends and family are probably waiting in the backstage area for me."

"Okay, I'll see you later tonight," he whispered.

*          *          *          *          *

I stepped out of the backstage entrance. The cool air hitting my skin. I ran past the screaming fans and onto the bus. I grabbed a jacket off of my seat in the front and pulled it on. I closed the door to the van and walked to the back. A good majority of my friends and family were squished into the back around the couch. Amber and Cristin were standing around making sure everyone was comfortable.

"Yeah, for our tour we're definitely getting a bigger bus, but the Hanson's helped to hook us up with a good deal on this one, and we were trying to save money. We still have this bus for another week, and then we're probably going to look into switching to a new one," Cristin explained to my family.

"God she yaps so much," I thought to myself as I walked closer. I swear she'd tell a stranger her life story on the sidewalk.

"Are you guys opening for anyone else," Brenda asked.

"We received three offers, but we haven't even had the chance to glance at them. They were faxed to us earlier this week, but we had to worry about paying off the bills for this tour," Amber answered.

"'N Sync is one of them," I spoke up.

"'N SYNC," Amber and Cristin screamed in disbelief.

"Yeah, 10 to 14 show deal. I saw it on the table this morning when I was walking in," I explained.

"Where were you?" my mother asked.

"Oh, I went out for breakfast with Zac," I replied.

"So the rumors about Zac and you being boyfriend and girlfriend are true?" Charlotte questioned.

"Um, we are dating, but I don't know if you should call us boyfriend and girlfriend," I informed them.

Zac came rushing on the bus at that moment, and everyone's eyebrows shot up.

"Whoa, hi," he replied with a grin.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"A good amount of my drumsticks have disappeared. I just want to know if I can borrow some from you. If I break any of them I will pay you back," he replied.

"Yeah, sure," I told him as I went over to my bunk.

I pulled a box out of the shelf in the bunk and handed it to them.

There's a bunch. Be sure to return as many as you can by tonight. Otherwise I'll be a drummer without drumsticks."

"Got it, and thanks," he replied giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.

My family exchanged looks.

"I'll stop by later, and hopefully, get to properly meet you guys," he said, "but I have a show to do. Bye!"

"Bye," my friends and family replied.

He ran off of the bus and back to the venue.

"HE IS SO CUTE," a few of my friends exclaimed.

I returned to the back of the bus and helped Cristin and Amber to answer all the excited questions from our friends and family before rushing outside to shake hands with fans.

*          *          *          *          *

I came out of the venue, the package and the box full of drumsticks secured safely under my arm, and trotted over to Daphne's bus. I knocked on the closed door, and their driver actually smiled a bit and let me on.

"DAPH," I called out.

She appeared from behind the curtain in the back and smiled at me. Her hair had been pulled up, but by now it had started to already fall down. The messy hair only made her look more beautiful. She was wearing a black tank top that read, 'Cheap Trick,' and a pair of dark green pants that hung at her hips. I sat down with her quickly at a table in the front of the bus and handed her back her box full of drumsticks.

"Thanks," she said.

"You're welcome, but wait, I have a gift for you," I told her.

"A gift," she questioned.

I handed her the package, and I watched a smile grace Daph's lips.

"You shouldn't have," Daphne whispered as she ripped open the package.

She pulled out one of my shirts and a pair of my drumsticks out.

"What are these for?" she asked.

"Who knows when we'll have the time to be together, Daphy? I want you to have something of mine ... " I stopped.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Daphne bit her lower lip and her eyes started to gaze around the room.

"Hold on," she told me, "I have something for you, too."

She rushed back to her bunk and started to search for it.

"Got it," she exclaimed racing back to me.

I took the box in my hands and opened it. Inside was a ceramic surfboard that was practically a smaller version of my own surfboard, 'Darth Maul.' On the front though she had actually painted a small picture of Darth Maul's head in the center of the board.

"I never really see you wearing any necklaces or chokers, and you already have a bunch of awesome clothes, and I didn't want to give you something and then you never wear it. Anyway, so I got you something you can't buy in stores. I started that in Florida, but I only finished it yesterday."

"This is one of the best gifts I've ever gotten. Although don't ever think that I expect anything from you. I would be happy just having you," I confessed to her.

"Well if I had known that I would have just given you a hug, goodbye," she teased.

"What I don't get a hug?" I retorted.

"Oh, if you really want one I think I can manage to give you one."

Daphne opened the box full of drumsticks.

"Did you break any of them?" she asked.

"One, but I replaced it with one of mine," I replied.

"Oh, okay. Well then take a pair of mine, and if you really want you can steal a shirt of mine."

"Oh, I'll steal one to show off my back since it's so sexy," I kidded.

"Whatever," she replied, shoving me playfully.

The fans were outside chanting. Daphne pulled back the curtain to one of the windows of the bus and peered out.

"You should probably go and say 'hello' to some of your fans," she told me.

"First, I have to introduce myself to your family," I replied.

"Oh, they left a while ago. They really wanted to meet you guys, but they either had work or were just too tired. Don't worry though. You'll meet them all eventually.

However, your parents did meet my mom."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they all seemed to get along really well with my mom."

"Cool. Hey, I'll be right back. I have to go say hi to some of our fans. Want to come," I asked her.

"Um, Zac there are too many rumors," she began.

"Rumors about us dating, and we are," I told her.

"Yeah, but there are rumors about us sleeping together," Daphne replied.

"Then let's give them something to talk about," I said with a wink.


On to Chapter Thirty-One

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Memories ... Of A Forgotten Past is Copyright © 2000 by Taylor W. Quest.
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