Zac rolled over and opened his eyes. It was still dark outside. He looked over at the clock, it was just a little bit past midnight. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling as Daphne quietly rolled over and rested against him.

"What woke me up?" Zac asked himself.

"It's got to stop," he distantly heard his mother's voice.

Zac felt his eyebrows furrow together as he tried to hear what his father said in reply.

"Babe," Daphne muttered as she slowly woke up.

"Hush, just a sec," Zac whispered as he placed his finger over her mouth.

"What suddenly brought this on?" he heard Walker exclaim.

"You know we have slacked off," Diana replied.

"Listen, we always said we'd allow them to grow at their own speed," Walker began.

"Yes, but we didn't agree to slack as Christian parents," Diana replied causing Zac's skin to suddenly prickle.

"Shit we gotta get up," Zac almost hissed.

"Huh, wha," Daphne stuttered as she sat up grabbing the sheet covering her chest.

"We gotta get out of here right now," Zac exclaimed quietly as he pulled his pants on and pulled a shirt on.

"Then how do you think they will feel if suddenly after all this time, and everything that's happened if we tell them it's over?" Walker asked.

"Listen to me," Diana's voice faded out as they obviously walked further into the house.

"Is something really that bad?" Daphne asked as she pulled a shirt on and slid into a pair of slacks.

"Yeah, it got like this a few months before Tay and Will found each other again," Zac whispered out of breath as he laced up his shoes.

"I don't understand," Daph exclaimed as she put on her slides and grabbed her purse.

"No, not that way," Zac almost barked as she reached for the door knob.

"What?" she almost screamed in shock as he caught her off guard.

"The window, we need to go to the old house and call Taylor," Zac said pushing up the window next to the dresser.

"Through the window," Daphne asked almost in shock.

"Yeah," Zac exclaimed as he threw one leg then the other one out and dropped out of sight.

"My god, only for you Zac, I swear only for you," she muttered as she straddled the window and looked down.

"Holy shit," she yelped as she saw they were a full story off the ground.

"Drop and roll, you'll be fine I do it all the time."

"Yeah, but you're forgetting I'm a girl and you're a boy," she exclaimed.

"Like that ever stopped you before," he replied glancing around.

"Now hurry up," he hissed.

"Oh God," Daph muttered as she crossed herself, muttered quietly while looking up at the night sky and dropped off the window sill.

*          *          *          *          *

"What the?" Tay exclaimed as he opened the front door.

"Nice to see you too, come on we're going," Rosie exclaimed as she grabbed his hand.

"Shoes," Tay muttered pulling back.

"Yeah, got them at Barney's what about them?" Rosie replied looking down at her own.

"No, I need mine," Tay replied quietly pulling his hand away.

A few seconds later he came back to the door, obviously having brushed his hair and changed a shirt.

"Shit you changed too, drama queens," Rosie huffed as they went down the front walk of Ike's house.

"Where?" Tay started as he saw Will standing with his back to them against the trunk of Rosie's car.

Taylor slowed to a stop and stared. His eyes grew wide as he watched Will smoking a cigarette. He bit his lip, squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.

"Babe," he whispered as he walked up beside Will.

"Hey," Will replied blowing smoke the other direction.

"I didn't know you," Tay started.

"I used to before," Will muttered.

"How long ago?" Tay asked.

"Years, when I was suffering from depression," Will replied looking out at the sky.

Taylor felt his face crunch slightly as the words met his ears.

"And you're smoking now?" Taylor whispered knowing if he spoke up his voice would crack.

"Yeah, big surprise huh," Will replied turning his face away from Taylor's.

"I'm," Taylor started quietly but paused.

Will remained facing the other direction.

"I'm sorry," Taylor swallowed hard.

Taylor lifted his eyes to see Will still facing the other direction, silent.

"You're right," Taylor started.

"Don't," Will stopped him still facing the other way.

"I knew this when it all started," Will replied quietly, his voice trembling.

"I knew that it would slowly become harder for us, I just didn't think it'd hurt this much," Will exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"You're killing yourself, stop that," Taylor exclaimed reaching for the cigarette.

"Yeah, who cares?" Will exclaimed moving his hand out of Taylors reach.

"I do," Taylor replied full voice pulling Will around to face him.

"And if you're going to," he said as he pulled the pack out of Will's front shirt pocket.

"Then I will too," Tay finished as he pulled a cigarette out and put it in his mouth.

Will stared silently as Taylor took the lighter out of the box and began to light it.

"No," Will whimpered slapping the cigarette and lighter out of Taylor's hand while throwing his down.

"I won't let you destroy that beautiful voice of yours, I won't let you," Will broke into sobs as he fell against Taylor.

"I love you so much," Taylor full out cried into Will's neck.

"I love you too Taylor," Will cried.

"I don't know what I'd be with out you," Taylor sobbed.

At that moment, as if cued by God Himself to bring all valid points home to the two of them Rosie turned on her stereo inside the car.

"Who's gonna' tell you when, it's too late? Who's gonna tell you things, aren't so great? You can't go on, thinkin' nothing's wrong ... Who's gonna drive you home, tonight? Who's gonna pick you up, when you fall?"

Their sobs and cries growing quiet as the lyrics hit home with both of them.

"Who's gonna pay attention, to your dreams?"

The words causing memories to surface.

"Who's gonna come around, when you break? You can't go on, thinkin' nothing's wrong ... who's gonna drive you home, tonight?"

Noticing the sobbing had calmed and the song had finished Rosie turned around in the front seat to see Will and Taylor making out madly on the back of her car.

"Oh, good grief," she laughed.

"Come on kids," she exclaimed as she got out of the car.

"Break it up, Aunt Rosie's gotta make a flight back to New York in about two hours."

"Sorry," Taylor blushed as he pulled his mouth away from Will's and wiped his eyes.

"You're going to New York?" Will asked.

"Yeah, my flight leaves in two hours so I can be back before noon over there."

"Think you got room for two more?" Tay asked.

"What?!"

"We were going to try and get a flight out tomorrow, but if you're going now, I think we'd like to go with you, have someone to talk to on the flight," Tay asked with a puppy dog face.

"You're nellie wiles have no effect on me Mr. Hanson," Rosie laughed.

"Please," they both chimed at the same time.

"Before I say yes let me see if it's even possible," Rosie sighed as she sat down in the car.

"Great," Tay smiled as he turned back to Will.

"I promise it's gonna be different," Taylor whispered.

"Don't," Will replied.

"Don't, promise?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, because this involves other people and you can't control other people," Will explained.

"Yeah," Tay replied quietly looking down at the pavement.

"Yeah yeah yeah, fine ok alright, the two beside me across the isle then," Rosie could be heard.

Will and Taylor turned to face each other and giggled like school girls.

"Ok, you two owe me big," she started as they both hugged her.

"Oh geeze, knock it off, you're makin' me feel like some old mother," she laughed.

"We'll be out in a sec, everything is already packed," Taylor exclaimed.

"It is?" she heard Will ask as they ran into the house.

"Those two," she laughed quietly as she stared off at the night sky.

*          *          *          *          *

"What?" Zac asked in shock.

"Yeah, they left about, half an hour ago, try his cell phone," Ike replied.

"Shit, I already did, there was no answer, I'll try later, anyway if mom or dad call, you haven't heard from me ok?" Zac asked.

"Zac what is going on over there?"

"Not really sure yet man, but I think we're all about to get a dose of the Ghost," Zac whispered.

"They're getting religious again?" Ike asked.

"Yeah, more than last time, I think they went over to Grandma's after they saw Will and Tay popping up on Entertainment Tonight," Zac explained.

"Shit, you saw?" Ike asked.

"Yeah, they didn't exactly call them a couple but it was heavily insinuated," Zac sighed.

"That's not gonna go over well with," Ike started.

"Yeah, I'm aware, so if mom and dad call don't tell 'em they went to New York, and don't tell them I called you," Zac exclaimed.

"Gotcha," Ike replied quietly.

"Take care and, yeah just be cool."

"Alright dude, you too, give Caleb a hug for me," Zac said before he hung up the phone.

"Ok, I really don't think I even get half of what is going on," Daphne groaned as she flopped down on the couch.

"Ok, well it's really kinda tough to go into, but I'll try," Zac started.

"Let me get a drink," Daph exclaimed as she got up from the sofa and retrieved a Dr. Pepper from the refrigerator.

"The thing with our parents is," Zac began as Daph sat down beside him.

"They'll go through these lax periods where they'll basically let us just run wild and do whatever the fuck we want. But when we really start getting out of hand, or when people start looking at them strangely they turn around and start barking orders at us," Zac explained.

"So, I'm not following what is happening now?"

"I'm thinking the other day mom and dad went to grandma's after they saw Taylor and Will on Entertainment Tonight. Which really made things worse."

"How?" Daph asked confused.

"Well, you me, us the family and them, we all live basically in our own little world you know? We don't share the same circles as the fans and the gossip queens of Los Angeles. But, well surprise surprise Tay and Will have been the topic of quite a bit of speculation for a few months now. Mom and Dad didn't really let it get to them, and I guess some how they seem to think that nothing really goes on between the sheets with those two."

"Hah," Daphne burst into laughter.

"Yeah I know, fat chance," Zac laughed.

"So suddenly they are all," she searched for the word that would insult but not too heavily.

"Right wing," Zac laughed.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Inquisitional," Daphne winced.

"Like as in Spanish Inquisition," Zac asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," Daph replied covering her face.

"Hah, yeah that works too," Zac laughed.

"All because it could make Taylor look," Daph said as Zac cut her off.

"No, that has nothing to do with it. It might make mom and dad look bad, the entire family, you know. It's one thing for Taylor to be seen with a bunch of girls, but a guy. Taylor was barely able to get any time to hang out with Alex, and that was only allowed because he used music as an excuse."

"So, now that people are going to think Taylor and Will are, gettin' jiggy with it, Mom and Pop Hanson are frantic to do something about it, even after all this time supporting Taylor and letting him do whatever the hell he wanted?" Daphne asked with mild shock.

"Exactly," Zac sighed.

"That's fucking wrong," Daphne exclaimed slapping her leg.

"Yeah well let's see you cross my parents," Zac replied.

"Oh come on, Walker and Diana," she started.

"Can be pretty fucking scary when they want to be," Zac replied defending the Darth Vader like image he had managed to create to represent his parents.

"So how are they going to get through this?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, we just gotta be careful and all," he replied.

"We, what's this we shit?" she asked in shock.

"Once the spotlight hits Taylor and mom and dad start nailing down, they'll zero in on all of us," Zac sighed.

"You mean, you and me, we," she began to stutter.

"Shh, come here, listen I'm not gonna let you go. Taylor and I share one thing, being stubborn. I on the other hand do it better," he smirked.

Daphne sighed and put her face into Zac's neck.

"Come on, it'll be ok, we'll make it through this," he tried to console her.

"Now, for once Zac I really am scared," she whispered.

*          *          *          *          *

"He finally fell asleep huh," Rosie whispered across the isle.

"Yeah," Taylor smiled as he ran his fingers through Will's shaggy brown hair.

"He loves you so much," Rosie exclaimed.

Taylor looked back at her and smiled.

"I know I don't have to tell you that."

"I know he does," Taylor whispered.

"He feels alone sometimes," she replied.

"He's not the only one," Taylor sighed.

"I hope you open up to him, you really need too, even on things that you haven't opened up to him before on."

"I've told him," Taylor started.

"Not nearly everything, because if you had things wouldn't be as rough at this point for you two," she cut him off.

"I can't really begin to imagine what he doesn't know, I swear it feels like I've told him everything," Taylor whispered as he stared down at Will's face.

"Do you tell him you're scared too?"

Taylor nodded.

"Have you told him you're weak?"

Taylor paused.

"Have you told him you're afraid that you two will fall apart?"

Taylor grew quiet.

"Have you told him that you're so afraid of being ridiculed for loving him that you'd rather let him go than hurt him by denying it?"

Taylor's eyes welled with tears.

"Have you told him that you don't have the guts to hold onto him when everything starts to break apart?"

"I do," Taylor whimpered looking at her.

"You don't, and pretending you do is inconsiderate, to him, to you, to your relationship."

"But how could telling him those things make anything better?"

"Because if he knows that you acknowledge these things then he knows you're aware of the risks. You can't just say you 'know' it's going to be hard. You have to pin point things for him. Whether you realize it or not he already is aware of so many things that could split you two apart. The fact that you haven't verbalized them to him leads him to believe you haven't even thought through most of it. That's what scares him, because he feels if you cared enough you would have already taken everything into consideration and discussed it with him," Rosie finished.

"Do you know how hard that will be?" Taylor replied turning to her. His face flushed, his eyes filled with tears, his mouth trembling.

"Do you know how hard it will be if you don't?" she asked.

Taylor didn't reply. He sighed and turned to face the window.

Rosie didn't say anymore. She knew she didn't need too. Everything he needed to hear had been said. Any more would only serve to upset him. He already had been upset enough.

*          *          *          *          *

"Where are we gonna go?" Daphne asked as Zac put the van into reverse and backed out of the drive way.

"I don't know, but I don't want to go back home right now," Zac replied as he turned to look at her.

Daphne felt her heart jump. For the first time she saw true fear in Zac's eyes. A lump found its way into her throat as she watched him drive.

"You can come with me, you know that," she started.

"No I can't, you know that would only make things worse," he almost whispered.

"So, I mean, today I'm leaving and you're going back there," she replied quietly.

Zac didn't answer.

"I don't want to leave you here with everything that's happening."

"You can't do anything for me, in all reality it'd probably be best that you kept your presence around me next to non-existent."

Daphne almost flinched when he said it. Even though she knew that he meant it for her own good, and he himself would never want her to do something like that.

"Fuck," Zac yelped as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Please don't be, please don't be," he muttered as he pulled the phone from his pocket.

"Shit," he muttered.

"Hello, ok, ok, I'm sorry, ok, no, ok, alright," he repeated over and over.

"Yeah, today, this morning, alright, ok, I will, bye."

"Babe," Daph asked quietly.

"It was dad, I gotta get home and you have to get your things ready to go."

"My flight isn't for another five hours," Daph exclaimed quietly.

"I know, but you can't stay at the house," Zac exclaimed quietly.

"Alright."

*          *          *          *          *

"Ok you two, rise and shine we're landing in a few," Rosie exclaimed.

"Oh," Tay sat up rubbing his neck.

"Ouch."

"You ok?" Will asked waking up seeing Taylor rubbing his neck.

"Yeah, just a cramp, hey you," he smiled.

"Hey you," Will smiled back.

"We're gonna have fun today," Taylor grinned.

"Oh really, how's that?" Will yawned sitting up.

"Well, we're staying at the Plaza," he smiled.

"Kick ass," Will barked.

"And then I thought we'd catch the new Calvin Klein Body show," he grinned.

"Tay, really the last thing I want to do is sit around watching a bunch of half naked chicks walk around in underwear," he moaned.

"Who said anything about half naked chicks?" Taylor laughed.

"Wait, is this the women's or men's line," Will asked turning around abruptly.

"What do you think?" Tay grinned wickedly.

"Oh you devil," Will laughed kissing him briefly on the mouth.

"I figured we could do with a refresher course on how well the male anatomy looks in cotton underwear," Tay smirked.

"If my memory serves correctly, each year their underwear gets even more brief than the year before," Will smiled.

"Yup, but that's not all, that show isn't until three this afternoon, we're also catching the Abercrombie and Fitch show at noon," Tay smiled even wider.

"Oh lord have mercy, mens everywhere," Will laughed as he stressed 'mens.'

"You two are two peas in a pod," Rosie laughed.

"I prefer two nuts in a shell," Taylor laughed.

"Oh god," Rosie replied turning away laughing.

"Speaking of nuts," Will whispered into Tay's ear as he reached between his legs.

Taylor gulped.

"How are these doing?" Will snickered.

"Pretty good, however I'm sure you could make them feel better," Tay tried to finish as Will began to rub him.

"Once we get to the hotel," Taylor laughed nervously glancing around.

"Okay," Will beamed as he rested his head on Taylors shoulder.

"Shit, guys ok, there's a mob outside waiting," Rosie exclaimed hanging up her cell phone.

"You're not supposed to be using that," Taylor laughed.

"Yeah yeah well shoot me," she laughed.

"Why is there a mob out there?" Will asked looking out the window.

"I'm not sure, but they aren't here for me," she laughed.

Taylor suddenly tensed up and started to fidget.

"Hey, you ok?" Will asked noticing Taylor's sudden mood shift.

"Yeah, you know I just don't always dig large crowds," he muttered.

"Yeah I understand," Will sighed kissing Taylor on the temple.

"Hey just play it cool guys, if you just smile and all no one will think anything, if you act all incognito they'll start to think things," Rosie replied.

"Alright," Taylor smiled half heartedly.

"So no baseball caps or glasses," Will exclaimed putting them into the carry on.

"Ok," Taylor smiled nervously.

"Come on," Rosie smiled standing up.

"Why do I hear the Death march droning in my head?" Taylor laughed quietly.

"Because we're heading to our doom," Rosie laughed.

Taylor glanced over at her with an expression that showed pure fear.

"I'm kidding, geeze," she laughed patting him on the back.

"Yeah," Tay muttered sheepishly, visibly shaken.

"Is it true?" a person blurted as they stepped out in front of a crowd of photographers.

Taylor and Will were visibly confused.

"Is it true?" another voice blurted.

"Yes, I'm gay," Rosie yelled causing the reporters to laugh and suddenly focus on her momentarily.

"What are they talking about?" Taylor whispered to Will.

"Not sure but let's bolt," Will muttered as they turned down a side way and headed past a group of people waiting to be checked in at the next gate.

Rosie glanced off and noticed the couple escaping the media circus.

"That was weird," Taylor exclaimed pulling on his cap and sunglasses.

"What were they talking about?" Will asked glancing back.

"Probably something Rosie did or something she said," Tay exclaimed shrugging.

Onward through the airport Taylor and Will noticed a few people staring at them. Obviously they were being recognized, however they weren't sure why so many people were recognizing them. A few moments at baggage claim and a fast dart through the main gates and they tumbled into a taxi cab.

"Shit," Will jumped as he turned and looked out the window as about twelve flashbulbs popped.

"The Plaza," Taylor exclaimed as the cab rolled away from the curb.

"Something is up," Taylor sighed rubbing his forehead.

"We'll be fine babe," Will whispered pulling him close.

*          *          *          *          *

"Hello Daphne, I already packed up your bags and have everything ready for you," Diana exclaimed as Zac and Daphne walked into the front door.

"Uhm, thank you," Daph smiled uneasily.

"The cab should be here shortly to take you to the airport," Walker exclaimed.

"Excuse me but my flight isn't," she began quietly.

"We've got you an earlier flight in about two hours," Diana smiled coldly.

"Mom," Zac started.

"Zachary, please wait for us in the living room," Diana exclaimed without turning around.

Zac glanced at Daphne and mouthed 'I love you,' and went into the dining room.

"Anything you are asked, no matter what, you are to say 'no comment,'" Diana exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" Daphne asked in sincere confusion.

"You heard me, from now on, when anyone asks about you and Zac you reply with 'no comment.'"

"I'm not quite sure I understand," Daphne replied quietly.

"Daphne, right now isn't the time to question me, just do as I say and everything will work out great, ok?" Diana smiled unconvincingly.

"Yes mam," Daphne tried to smile back.

"That's good, ok, it looks as if your cab is here," she replied glancing over Daph's shoulder through the window.

"Oh," she sighed glancing over Diana's shoulder towards the living room.

Before she could say any more or react to anything she found herself out the door standing at the curb with her luggage beside her.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked as he heaved her luggage into the trunk.

"Um, the airport," she muttered quietly, blinking her eyes repeatedly trying to keep the tears that welled from spilling down her face.

"Alright, hop in," he replied as he slammed the trunk.

*          *          *          *          *

"She's leaving," Zac yelled suddenly as Walker and Diana came into the room.

"Zachary," Diana started.

"I didn't get to say goodbye," he started.

"Son, we have to talk," Walker started.

"I didn't get to say goodbye," Zac yelled even louder walking towards the front door.

"Zachary," Diana exclaimed grabbing him by the wrist.

"You can just hold the hell up," he snapped yanking his wrist away from her.

Before either Walker or Diana could reply Zac had thrown open the front door and was across the yard.

*          *          *          *          *

"Daphne," Zac's voice screamed across the front yard.

The cab slowly started to pull away as Daphne turned and looked out the window suddenly.

"Wait," she screamed at the cabbie causing him to stamp the brake pedal.

"Shit, ok, sorry," he muttered as she threw open the cab door.

"Zac," she exclaimed as he ran into her so fast that he knocked her back against the cab.

"I love you, I love you," Zac exclaimed repeatedly as he kissed her face and hugged her tightly, tears streaming down his face.

"I love you too," she cried wrapping her arms around him.

"Don't let this break us up," he cried into her neck.

"Don't let it," he sobbed.

"I won't babe, I promise," she cried quietly.

"I gotta go," he said suddenly pulling back from her.

"Zachary," she whispered taking his face into her hands.

"I love you so much," she whispered as she leaned up and kissed him gently on the mouth.

"I love you too," he whispered as he wiped his eyes.

"Don't forget me," Zac swallowed hard as Daphne got back into the cab.

"I love you," she cried quietly as he closed the door and slapped the roof of the cab.

The cab rolled away. Zac felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand as he turned to face his house. The early morning sky rumbled in the distance signaling an approaching thunderstorm. In the silhouette of the front windows, he saw his mother and father.


On to Chapter Seven

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A Love Incognito is Copyright © 2000 by Taylor W. Quest.
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