"Hey," he whispered quietly as Will knelt down behind him and ran his hands up over his shoulders.

"Hey babe," Will whispered quietly.

"You ok?" Tay asked glancing back.

"Yeah, just kinda dosed off earlier, thought you might have come out here," he sighed.

"Yeah, the sheer beauty of it all, just," Tay searched for the right words.

"Captivates you," Will offered.

"Yeah," Taylor smiled sighing quietly.

"A far cry from Tulsa, or Miami, hell there probably isn't another place like this on earth," Will whispered as he continued to massage Taylor's neck.

"It's why I love the Bahamas," Tay replied quietly.

"It's like we're the only ones on earth," he continued as he glanced down at the sand.

The blue gleam of the full moon above caused the white sand to gleam and sparkle small pin points of it's light. Taylor wiggled his toes into the white glitter and stared out quietly at the ocean. The moon light sparkling and moving as the crystal blue waters moved on unknown currents.

"Moments like these," Will began quietly but paused.

Taylor sat quietly, waiting for him to continue. For the past year he had learned that Will, like himself, was always searching for the perfect words to describe how he was feeling. In the past he had derailed his train of thought by asking, 'what?' It had become second nature now, to remain quiet as Will gathered the words he felt it took to properly mold the thoughts inside his mind into words that would do those very thoughts justice.

"It's moments like these, that I question reality, that I wonder if this is all some wonderful dream," he whispered quietly.

Taylor sighed quietly and smiled. A gentle breeze drifted across them on the small beach.

"The combination, of being with you, here, where it seems heaven has met earth," Will whispered quietly, his voice trembling as he struggled to remain calm and collected.

"Where heaven meets earth, it only makes sense for you to be at peace here," he sighed.

Taylor sat forward in the sand and turned slowly to face him, smiling. Knowing that it was the moment to ask, 'why?'

"Because," Will started, the blue moon light sparkling suddenly on his face as a lone tear escaped his dark lashes and began it's journey down his cheek.

"Where heaven meets earth, one would expect an angel to feel at home," he whispered as he looked down into the sand. The rush of warmth spreading across his face, the pang of self consciousness surrounding him as the thoughts in his mind became words in Taylor's ears.

Will always, even now, felt sometimes silly, possibly even over dramatic when he found himself expressing thoughts like that out loud to the one he loved most. But without fail, surely as the sun would rise the next day, Taylor would pull him close and gently remind him that he adored him for the very ability to express those same thoughts and emotions.

"I love you so much," Taylor whispered as he pulled Will into his embrace.

Inhaling deeply against Will's neck Taylor smiled quietly to himself. The simple fact, that after all this time Will still had thoughts like that, that he still looked at him with the same fresh new eyes thrilled him. Thrilled him and only caused him to fall even deeper in love. A love that while beautiful, was also frightening. A love that invigorated, yet exhausted...

Taylor felt his eyebrows furrow at that moment, as that explanation crossed his mind. Puzzled as to how, or why he came to that conclusion he pulled back gently and looked into Will's eyes.

"Will, I have a question," he began.

"Yes?"

"Well, I just had this thought," Tay began explaining what had just crossed his mind.

Something other couples had failed miserably at, Taylor and Will excelled with; communication. Understanding that while life and love can work together, and bring happiness to a couple. Taylor and Will also knew that outside forces, unforeseeable events and most pointedly, other people could make a life together hard. Realizing this, they knew the only solution would be full and total, honest communication.

"Does that make any sense, I mean, yeah. Beautiful, invigorating, but, frightening, and exhausting," Taylor finished quietly.

The curiosity painted honestly across Taylor's face only made Will smile brightly. The slight tinge of fear that had begun to creep up around the edges of Taylor's eyes slipped away at the sight of his smile.

"Babe, that makes total sense, think about it. Our life, our experiences, our feelings, they are beautiful, but at the same time, they are frightening, aren't they?" Will asked.

Taylor remained quiet, knowing Will would see this as a request to continue.

"Frightening, meaning that deep down inside, you're scared, you're not sure how tomorrow will go, that something bad might happen," Will continued.

"Yes," Tay almost blurted as he smiled.

"Yes babe," Will giggled mussing up Tays hair.

"Exhausting, outside of the," Will paused as a playful smirk scampered across his face.

"Outside of the, eh, physical side of our, relationship," Will smirked as Taylor blushed in the dim blue light.

"Outside of that, I can say there have been times where just looking into your eyes, where imagining our future, simply loving you has exhausted me," Will smiled sweetly.

"Me too," Tay muttered as he stared into the sparse green brush of the interior of the island behind Will.

"So you see, our love is exhausting, and frightening, among so many other things, the thing that makes it so beautiful, so precious is it's OUR love, it's yours and mine," Will smiled quietly as he pressed his hand to Taylor's chest.

"God, sometimes, I don't know where it comes from, or how you do it," Tay smiled.

"Yeah, well I surprise myself sometimes," Will smirked as he gave Tay a peck on the cheek and grabbed his ribs.

"Ouch, oh no don't," Tay begged as Will rolled onto his side and continued to tickle him.

"Aww," Will frowned in mock displeasure.

"You know I can't stand that for too long," Tay sighed as he caught his breath.

They grew quiet glancing out at the ocean and then back at each other.

Taylor trailed his hand down across Will's chest and circled his navel. Which brought a faint giggle out of Will.

Glancing down Will looked into Taylor's eyes. His chest heaved as he felt his heart racing.

Tay glanced up at him. Will's eye lids were heavy, his breathing was deep. Smiling quietly to himself Taylor slid up and pulled himself on top of Will. Raining kisses down on his face, chest and neck Taylor felt his own heart beginning to race.

"I want you," Taylor growled quietly as he pulled at the snap on Will's pants.

"I," Will gasped as Taylor pulled his pants down towards his ankles.

"Shh," Tay smiled in the blue moonlight as they began to make love.

*          *          *          *          *

The sun beamed down, Taylor found himself wrapped in a soft warm blanket. The cool dampness of the morning nearly removed by the tropical heat. He turned over and looked at Will, asleep smiling. He took a breath as he traced his fingers across Will's face. He shifted in his sleep and rolled closer to Taylor.

"To think I almost lost you," Taylor whispered to himself quietly.

"Hmm," Will mumbled as his eyebrows raised in recognition to Taylor's voice.

"Morning," Taylor smiled.

"Already," Will yawned as he stretched.

"Yeah, I was thinking we could go snorkeling or something, as long as we stay out here in the water, I'm not really thrilled with the idea of running into anyone who might know me," Taylor sighed quietly.

"That's fine with me," Will smiled as he scooted closer to Tay and wrapped his arm across his chest.

"What day is it again?" Will asked.

"Friday," Taylor replied still staring at the glow of the sun through the thin material of the tent roof.

"Already, this week has flown by," Will sighed.

"Things always rush past you when you're happy," Taylor exclaimed.

"I know, it's become more and more apparent to me lately than in the past, it felt like each day moved at a snails pace," Will explained as he rubbed his hand across Taylor's stomach.

"That's how it feels in the studio, every day, the same room, the same routine, makes it feel like forever."

"I can imagine, kinda like school," Will said as he smiled.

"I wouldn't know, my classroom was at home."

"Yeah, well consider yourself blessed then, believe me public schooling is nothing you want to go through if you can avoid it, at least the school I went to was hell."

"You didn't like school?" Tay asked turning on his side, propping his head on his hand.

"Hell no, I hated school, no one liked me, every day was a lesson in turmoil for me. I mean elementary wasn't so bad, the kids were jerks but yeah, you'll get that anywhere. But as I grew older and I went to high school it was hell on earth."

"You've got to be kidding, I'd expect you to be one of the most popular guys," Tay replied in shock.

"Yeah, right, and the sky is pink. Tay I was the biggest outcast," Will began as he told Taylor about the many different occasions when he wanted to die simply because of how he was treated in school.

"I'm so sorry," Taylor whispered as Will glanced over at him.

"Don't cry babe, I'm fine," Will exclaimed as he noticed a tear on Taylor's cheek.

"No, it's just, I can't imagine that happening to me, how I'd feel, it hurts me inside to think you were treated that way," Taylor whispered.

"Well, it's all in the past now. I think I can credit those assholes in school for my sense of self worth now, and my self confidence. The way they treated me made me force myself to be stronger. I'm who I am now because of that treatment. Yeah it hurt then, like hell. But now, I'm a better person, so I guess it was for a reason," Will replied quietly.

"I would have stood up for you," Taylor whispered.

"I know babe, but honestly, if you had gone to my school, you would have needed someone to stand up for you as well."

"What?" Tay asked in slight shock.

"Taylor, considering how artistic you are, how gorgeous you are and everything about you. Let's just say you would have been nailed every day and treated like shit."

"Man," Tay said gazing off behind Will.

"Yeah, and with your hair being long back then, yeah," Will smirked.

"People thought I was a girl before, it didn't bother me," Tay replied looking at him.

"Yeah, but those people at my school would've been yanking your hair, calling you a girl and saying your a lil' gay faggot," Will exclaimed.

Tay sighed as he laid back.

"Let's just say I'm very very thankful that you didn't have public schooling, if you had I doubt you'd be the same person you are now."

"And you wouldn't be here with me."

"Probably not," Will replied hugging him tightly.

*          *          *          *          *

Zac growled as he switched off the TV set.

"Damn-it," he sighed as he stomped out of the room.

"Sweetie?" Diana asked as he flopped down at the kitchen table.

"Yeah," he muttered.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothin'."

"Alright," Diana replied turning back to the refrigerator.

"Another damn video clip of Daphne with N'Sync."

"Uh huh, sweetie, you know you've got nothing to worry about," Diana replied over her shoulder without turning around.

"Yeah, I know but still," Zac frowned as he traced his finger around the edge of the table.

"You both knew this was going to happen, she told you that they had no chance with her," Diana continued.

"I know but," Zac started.

"Sweetie, don't let the green eyed monster get a hold of you."

"I'm not jealous," Zac barked.

"Uh huh," Diana smiled at him.

"Fine, ok I'm jealous, I'm fu- damn jealous," Zac caught himself.

"Why don't you call her, say hi just talk to her."

"Yah," Zac said standing up.

"Don't talk to her like you just saw her sleeping with them, talk to her like you just," Diana started as Zac cut her off.

"Like I just slept with her," he snickered.

"Zachary," Diana frowned.

"I'm joking mom, geeze," he exclaimed as he left the kitchen.

*          *          *          *          *

The sun cast sparkling blue lines across the ocean floor. Multi colored fish glided gracefully across the coral reef, darting here and there. The flow and motion of the water causing all the plant life to lean and sway gently as if dancing to music unheard. Then two large shadows moved over.

Taylor took a breath through the snorkel and stared down at the underwater world beneath him. His heart skipped a beat and he smiled inside. The sheer beauty always made him feel good. He glanced over to his right, through the mask at Will. His brown hair, now shaggier than it had been a few months ago moving lazily in the water around his face. Will glanced over winked and nodded below before he took a breath and dove down deeper into the water.

Taylor took a breath and dove down behind him, making a mental note to blow the water out of the snorkel when he reached the surface before he tried to breathe in.

Their two slender bodies glided across the aquatic scene. Schools of fish passing on all sides as the sun cast its golden light through a sheen of blue all around them. Swimming up in front of Taylor Will pulled the snorkel from his mouth and motioned for Taylor to do the same. A moment later the two shared a kiss, surrounded by the beauty of the ocean, with the sparkling eyes of hundreds of fish watching them. Eyes that didn't care, mouths that would only open and close while processing water into air.

Pulling away Taylor put the snorkel back to his mouth and swam towards the surface with Will following.

"That was amazing," Taylor exclaimed after sucking in a breath of air. His blond locks meshed to the sides of his face with the scuba mask sitting on top of his head.

"The kiss, or the fish," Will laughed as they floated in the water.

"The kiss," Tay grinned as he swam up and wrapped his arms around Will.

"Are we terribly mushy?" Tay asked with a smirk.

"Why do you ask?"

"We're always hugging, always kissing, always doing something," Tay exclaimed as Will cut him off.

"Does it matter if what we do is considered mushy, when it feels so good to us?" Will asked as Taylor became quiet.

"No, all that matters is us," Tay whispered as he pressed his lips to Will's mouth and traced his tongue inwards.

*          *          *          *          *

"Hello."

"Hey."

"Hey babe!"

"How are yah?"

"I'm fine, really busy though, how are you, I've missed you so much," Daphne exclaimed over the cell phone.

"I miss you too, saw you on TV today," Zac replied.

"Oh, yeah, hah," she laughed.

"Have fun?" Zac asked.

"Well, as much as you can with N'Stink," she chuckled.

"Oh," Zac replied unsure of how to take that comment.

"I thought about you almost the entire time," she almost whispered.

Zac felt a smile creep across his face.

"Almost, but not the entire time?" he asked playfully.

"Uh, yeah you know I did have to go to the bathroom, don't think you'd want me thinkin' of you while... uh," she coughed with a laugh.

"Yeah, good point," he snickered.

"So do you still think you'll have this coming weekend free?" Zac asked with a hopeful tone.

"Everything looks good so far," he could hear her smiling.

"Great," Zac smiled to himself the pang of jealousy no longer haunting the back of his mind.

*          *          *          *          *

"Oh God," Taylor moaned as he rode down harder on Will.

"Taylor," Will gasped.

The sun beamed down on the two as Will lay on his back, Taylor astride his lap, both naked.

"Oh shit," Tay gasped as he felt the sensation inside him building.

"Oh SHIT," Will yelled with a tone so out of place Tay snapped out of his nearing orgasm.

"Wha, what," Tay said shaking his head and looking down.

"You said we were the only ones on this lil island," Will exclaimed with total seriousness.

"Yeah, wh-," Tay began as he glanced down in the sand behind Will.

There in the soft undisturbed sand was a set of boot prints. That came up from one side and went straight into the grass and low brush of the island. Suddenly the sound of a motor boat could be heard in the distance.

"Oh FUCK," Taylor yelled as he quickly pulled himself up off of Will.

Tay winced as he removed his body from Will, grabbing a towel and throwing it around himself.

"Shit, shit," Tay kept cursing as he ran up to the grass and looked out across the few yards to the other side.

A small speed boat skipped off into the distance.

Tay turned around quickly and slammed right into Will knocking them both down.

"Whoa, Tay," Will exclaimed in shock.

"What if they," Tay whispered looking at Will, his face pale as snow.

"Taylor," Will exclaimed moving onto his knees pulling Taylor closer to him.

"What if they," Taylor exclaimed as his eyes filled with tears.

"Taylor, please babe listen to me," Will pleaded as Taylor blinked the water out of his eyes and looked at Will.

"Whatever they saw, whatever happens, I'm still right here," he exclaimed as Tay threw his arms around him.

"I'm sorry," Tay cried.

"No, no don't be, everything is gonna be fine. Hell for all we know it was just some dude riding around who saw the island and got off to look around, saw us, freaked out because were two guys took off hoping we didn't see him and left," Will explained.

"You think so?" Tay asked sniffling as he pulled his face away from Will's shoulder.

"It's totally possible," Will smiled.

Tay glanced off into the distance behind him, the boat no longer visible. The sound of the motor no longer buzzing distantly.

"Yeah it is isn't it?" Tay asked with a half smile.

"Taylor, we've been in this position before, granted it was a while ago, and after the MAST no one remembers but us, but this really isn't all that new," Will tried to explain.

Taylor glanced off again. Will felt a knot in his throat as he saw how upset Taylor was at someone discovering them. Almost feeling as if Taylor was regretting it happened. Will's eye lids fluttered, flitting away the mist that had begun to creep up against his hazel green eyes. He swallowed hard and forced a smile before Tay looked back at him.

*          *          *          *          *

"What's up?" Zac asked as Diana hung up the phone.

"That was Tay, he and Will are coming home tomorrow," she replied with a strange look on her face.

"Is something wrong?" Zac asked noticing it.

"Taylor sounded strained, like he was," she tried to explain.

"Stressed out," Zac offered.

"Exactly."

"Um, ok," Zac muttered as he glanced out the back door.

"I'll be back in a little bit," Zac said without waiting for a reply as he walked out the door.

Digging in his pocket he pulled out his car keys and unlocked the door. After staring through the wind sheild for about ten minutes he turned the ignition and pulled down the driveway. He was worried, for Tay and Will. Something was up if Tay was stressed out. Especially if Tay was stressed with Will. It meant something had happened.

He sighed to himself as he worked his way through afternoon traffic. The new house was unfortunately a good enough distance from the old one to make going over something you had to decide to do. But it was nicer, much more room, more than one bathroom. He laughed to himself when he remembered the look on Daphne's face when she found out they all shared one bathroom. She had to see it before she believed him. He laughed again. Then he frowned slightly.

He was missing her a great deal. Not being able to see her every day, or even every other day was really getting to him. That and he couldn't just call her up when he felt like it. Of course, she probably really wouldn't mind so much, if at all. But in Zac's mind, he felt it was a bad idea to just call her every five minutes. Even if she wouldn't mind. He growled to himself when he began to imagine all the times Justin or JC got to hang out with her. Not taking into consideration that Daph probably didn't care for them just as much as he did.

He frowned again.

"Fuck," he growled as he pulled into the drive way.

There in the front yard was a group of girls standing around taking photos as he came to a stop. As he got out of the car a chorus of squeals met his ears.

"Oh my god I knew you still lived here," one of them screamed at him.

"Can we take a picture?" another yelled as he walked towards the front door.

"Come on Zac don't be a jerk, it's not our fault if your girlfriend is doing N'Sync," another yelled out.

Zac turned around, the group got quiet.

"You want a picture huh?" he asked the attitude in him surfacing.

"Oh my God yes," they almost all screamed.

"Ok, you got two choices, one of me calling the cops because you're trespassing on private property, or me flipping you a bird because you're pissing me off," he snapped.

Before they could react or reply he continued.

"Or better yet, how about I call the cops, flip you off and you take a picture," he smiled as he pulled out his cell phone punched a few buttons, put it to his ear and extended his middle finger at the group of shocked teens.

"You're an asshole," one girl yelled at him.

"Yeah, and your a fat ugly bitch, but you know what's better? I can be nice, you can't do anything about what you are," he laughed as he opened the door, went in and slammed it.

"Yeah I need someone to come escort a few trespassers off my property," Zac said into the phone.

After giving the address he hung up.

*          *          *          *          *

"Ready?" Tay asked as he pulled his shoulder strap up as they walked towards the docks.

"Yeah," Will replied quietly. The past day had gone by very slowly for him.

"I'm so gonna miss being down here with you," Will sighed.

"We'll come back, I promise, this place is like," Tay searched for the words as he made the walk down the dock to the plane as it rested in the water.

"Too beautiful for words," Will offered with a grin.

"Yeah," Tay smiled.

"Much like yourself," Will grinned as he pecked him on the cheek.

"I called mom yesterday, so they're expecting us home," Tay exclaimed as he sat down.

"Oh ok," Will smiled as they settled in for the short flight up to Miami.


On to Chapter Two

Chapter Index

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A Love Incognito 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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