"Damn it, no answer," Will thought to himself as he started to walk away from the door.

"Whoa," Cassandra barked as he almost collided into her again.

"Hey," Will exclaimed happily as he hugged her.

"You alright?" she smiled.

"I need to talk to you."

"Um ok," she smiled as she pulled out her key and unlocked the front door.

"I see you've finally made it big," she smiled as they walked into the living room.

"Yeah I guess you could call it that," Will shrugged.

"Something to drink," she asked.

"No, I can't stay for too long, I just wanted to ask you something that I didn't think about until just a little while ago."

"Alright."

"Tell me, you said you saw me and Taylor on MTV," Will asked as he sat down.

"Yup, the night you told me you were going down there."

"Well you see, there's a problem with that," Will began as he started to explain the MAST.

Cassandra sat there quietly and listened. Unlike a lot of people Cassandra didn't interrupt or doubt him while he told her about the entirely unrealistic encounter with a government created mind controlling device. However, as Will explained the details, Cassandra herself began to realize it had to be true, simply because of how the public reacted.

"Well, I can tell you right now why I still know," she whispered sitting forward, causing Will to do the same.

"You see not more than a week after you two were on TRL I left for Milan Italy, and I didn't get back until a month ago," she smiled.

"So you mean," Will muttered as he began to understand why Cassandra was the only other person other than the direct family who knew the truth.

*          *          *          *          *

"I'm not feeling good," Taylor groaned as he rolled over in bed.

"Anthea is here, you two have less than an hour to get ready so you can go to dinner before the festival," Ike nagged Taylor.

"I don't want to go," Tay moaned rolling face first into his pillow.

"Taylor," he heard his father's voice boom from down the hall.

Taylor remained still as he held up his hand and flipped his dad off moments before he walked into the room.

"Dad, I feel like shit, my stomach is killing me," Taylor started as Walker grabbed him by the hand and nearly yanked him up to a sitting position in the bed.

"You're going whether you like it or not," Walker barked.

Taylor sighed quietly, stood and walked into the bathroom.

"Fine," he muttered as he kicked the door shut with the back of his foot.

"See that he keeps moving," Walker muttered to Ike as he left the room.

"Come on, it's not that bad, you'll feel better when you get moving," Ike tried to explain through the door.

"Shut the hell up," he heard in a mumble from inside.

Rolling his eyes he left the bedroom.

Taylor sat on the toilette seat. The ice cold from the seat as it touched his warm legs had definitely woken him up. He put his face in his hands and tried to convince himself he could go out and feel good and just get it over with. He heard his stomach grumble and turn quietly. His neck and shoulders ached and his head throbbed. Right about that moment, Taylor yet again thought back to Will's soft hands and his amazing massages. How when he felt awful and tired, so much he couldn't sleep, Will had always rubbed him down and caused him to conk out.

"Taylor," he heard Anthea call out from the room outside the door.

"You almost ready?" he heard her voice nag.

Taylor mocked her as he sat there.

"Yeah I'll be ready in a few," he called out half heartedly.

"What are you doing in there?" she asked as Taylor rolled his eyes.

He shook his head.

"That the fuck else do people do in bathrooms," he thought to himself as he tried not to laugh as an idea popped into his head.

"Taylor what are you?" she started to ask again as Taylor grunted hard and ripped out a loud resounding fart.

"Ewww," he heard her gasp as he slapped his hand over his mouth trying not to laugh.

"I'll be out in a minute, I'm not feeling too well," he called out still trying not to laugh.

Anthea didn't respond. He guessed she had run out of the bedroom. Chuckling to himself he finished his business and walked into the bedroom to find an outfit laid out for him, by Anthea no doubt. He shook his head.

"I'm not wearing that," he muttered as he walked to the closet.

*          *          *          *          *

"Shit, listen I've gotta split," Will groaned as he glanced down at his watch and saw that it was already nearing seven in the evening.

"Hey, that's cool. Listen Will," Cassandra said as she stood placing her hand on his shoulder.

"After knowing everything now, you know all of it," she started.

"I can't tell you how important it is for you to go get him, trust me he's not forgotten you; I can't for a moment believe that."

"I know, I feel the same way, I can't imagine it," Will sighed.

"But you know I'm just another person like everyone else, I mean," he started.

"Don't start self doubting again, that's where you'll screw it up. Don't let that little voice keep you from taking the steps needed to get him back," she said giving him a hug.

"I know, I'll try," he smiled at her.

"I'll keep you informed of everything," he smiled as he walked down the front steps.

"Yeah, also let me know what happens with you and Ashton," she winked.

"Cassandra," Will groaned dragging out the pronunciation.

"From everything you've told me, and from the way he was looking at you the day I saw you two in the lobby," she smiled.

"There is nothing there, at least, I don't see anything happening," Will sighed shaking his head at her.

"Ah," he jumped grabbing his cell phone.

"Take it off vibrate if it startles you like that," she laughed as she sat on the top step.

"Hey dude," Will smiled as he covered his face.

"You have, ok, that sounds," he paused.

"That sounds really nice, thanks man, I'll be there in about half an hour," Will replied as his face turned red.

"Yeah, ok later," he exclaimed as he hung up the cell.

"What," Cassandra smiled with a wide grin.

"That was him," Will laughed covering his face.

"And?" she grinned.

"He wanted to know when I'd be back," he moaned.

"Because?"

Will covered his face with both hands and groaned between his fingers.

"He's making dinner."

"Uh huh, see you've turned one of America's Beef Cakes into Donna Reed," Cassandra shrieked with laughter.

"Just because he's making dinner," Will started.

"Salad," she interrupted.

Will nodded.

"Italian or French?"

"Lasagna," he sighed.

"With bread?"

Will nodded again turning an even deeper red.

"Wine?"

He started laughing and shaking his head then nodding.

"Oh my god, yeah ok, dessert?" she asked laughing through her hand.

"Stop it," Will laughed loudly.

"I bet he's got dessert toppings," she smiled.

"Huh?" Will asked honestly confused all of the sudden.

"Yeah, dessert toppings to eat off of," she started as Will yelled.

"Ah, enough, stop that," he howled as he turned to the curb and hailed a cab.

"You are horrible," he blushed at her as she hopped down the steps and kissed him on the cheek.

"Yeah, but I'm right," she grinned.

"I wouldn't know he didn't say anything about eating dessert off of my body," Will laughed as he mussed up her hair.

"He didn't have to, I could smell it," she smirked as she pushed him into the cab and shut the door.

*          *          *          *          *

"You're not actually gonna wear that," Anthea started as he walked into the living room.

"Why not? It's better than that flour sack you're wearing," Zac mumbled as he left the room.

"What?" she hissed as she turned around quickly.

"I'm wearing this, and that's final," Taylor exclaimed.

"You're going back in there and you're changing," she growled as she grabbed him by the elbow and drug him down the hallway.

"What makes you think you can shove me around like this?" he snapped as he tried to yank his arm away from her.

"Because I'm allowed," she smiled as she pushed him into the room and pulled the door shut.

"Put on what I picked out," she snapped.

She glanced down the hallway to see Zac standing there staring at her with a look on his face that made her uncomfortable.

"You got a problem short and stocky?" she snipped at him.

"Yeah, it's five foot six, weighs about one hundred thirty pounds," he started as she started towards him.

"And if she pulled her hair back everyone would see the bolts sticking out of her neck," Zac yelled as he turned and walked away smirking.

"You asshole," she gritted through her teeth.

Glancing back at the bedroom door she swore she thought she heard giggling.

*          *          *          *          *

"She could smell it," Will laughed to himself trying to figure out what Cassandra meant.

He sat there grinning slightly thinking about the conversation. How it had felt so good to finally have someone he could talk to that was detached from the entire situation. He loved hearing from Zac. He really lifted his spirits. Even Ashton suddenly appearing to be making the moves on him didn't really make him feel uncomfortable. At least he felt desirable again.

"Hey," a voice jarred him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You gonna get out or do you just wanna sit out here all night," the cabbie asked as Will glanced out the window and saw they were outside Ashton's building.

"Oh sorry," Will muttered as he got out and walked around to the driver side.

"How much?" Will asked.

Digging the fare out of his wallet and pushing it back in his jeans shifted downward and the cabbie glanced over.

"Hey you're that underwear guy right?" he laughed suddenly.

"Heh, yeah right," Will half smiled half frowned.

"My daughter loves you, has you on her wall," he laughed extending his hand.

"That's great," Will smiled as he shook the cabby's fat sweaty hand.

"Can she get your autograph?" he asked.

"Why don't you bring her up to Macy's tomorrow morning around ten or so? I'm doing an autographing there." Will explained as the cabbie wrote it down on a slip of paper.

"Thanks, nice to see you guys aren't jerks," the cabbie smiled as he pulled away.

"Yeah," Will chuckled as he punched in the security code and went inside.

"Hey dude," Ashton boomed as Will walked into the apartment.

The place was filled with the aroma of lasagna, warm bread and something else Will couldn't place. Some really soft music played in the living room. Will felt a strange feeling creeping over him as he glanced over and saw two candles lit on the dinner table.

"Hey," Will smiled as he pulled off his over shirt and dropped it on the sofa.

"I didn't know you could cook," Will smiled as he walked over to the stove and bent down to look in the oven.

"That smells amazing," Will smiled glancing back over his shoulder catching Ashton staring at his butt.

"Yeah it is," Ashton replied then saw Will was blushing.

"I mean yeah it does," Ashton exclaimed as he raised both his eyebrows and tried to look around innocently.

Will laughed inside and stood up.

"So," Will smiled.

"What's the occasion?"

"We met two months ago today," Ashton said strangely as he walked up and wrapped his arms around Will's neck.

Will felt his body almost instinctively pulling back as Ashton closed the distance between them.

"Oh sweetie don't tell me you forgot," Ashton almost cooed.

"Dude," Will monotonously exclaimed.

"I'm kidding," Ashton burst into laughter as he pushed Will away.

Will stood there dumbfounded.

"Dude, it was a joke, shit why did I cook? I don't know I got the urge," Ashton laughed as he glanced around and picked up his wine glass.

"Oh," Will muttered glancing down.

"I got the urge to herbal," Ashton half muttered half sung as the oven timer went off.

"Slide over, or we'll have more than one kind of toasted buns," Ashton laughed as Will stepped away from the oven laughing quietly.

"So where were you today?" he asked as he set the lasagna dish down on the stove top.

"Oh I went to see Cassandra, I needed to talk to her about some stuff," Will replied as he pushed a grated cheese crumb around on the counter with his finger tip.

"You mean to tell me, while I've been here all day slaving over a hot stove, you were out talking to big breasted red heads," Ashton asked in a very sassy voice as he threw the oven mitts down on the counter causing Will to crack up.

"Yeah, I know I'm a horrible husband," Will laughed.

"And to think I almost bought that satin teddy," Ashton gasped putting his hands on his hips.

Will howled with laughter and fell back against the counter top.

"You're a riot," he laughed as Ashton smiled proudly of his comic ability.

*          *          *          *          *

"Anthea, Taylor it's so good to see you two," one of Anthea's friends squealed as they walked towards the VIP section of the music festival.

"Taylor, you look great tonight," the girl exclaimed as Taylor half smiled not looking her in the eye.

"That's surprising seeing as how he told me he felt like shit and almost bailed on me tonight," Anthea smiled putting him on the spot.

"I'm ok, I'm," he paused.

"Just a little under the weather," he sighed as he felt a strange feeling moving through him.

"There's a cold going around or something I heard," the girl started to ramble on to Anthea.

Taylor stood there, thinking about the feeling in his chest. It felt strange. Sure, he was uncomfortable with Anthea, especially in public. Plus, he wasn't happy with what he was wearing, it was too plain and boring. He glanced up, noticing they had been stopped just a few feet from the secured VIP section; perfectly placed where all his fans could see him with her.

He noticed a few camera flashes going off now and then. He was sure they were taking pictures of him with her. He glanced over, as she talked. He saw her glance at him and then shift herself to stand beside him facing the crowds as she talked. He knew deep down he was just a trophy to her. His head hurt, and he felt his heart sink lower.

"Why did I even let them talk me into this?" he thought to himself as he realized just how totally unhappy he had been for a while now.

"I'll be back," he exclaimed to her while her friend was in mid sentence thus allowing himself to slip away without being stopped or questioned.

He scooted around and back through the secured gates and off to the side of the stage and pulled out his cigarettes.

"If anyone sees you doing this," the voice in the back of his head cautioned him.

"Yeah I know it will be like just like the last time fans saw me and went ape shit," he muttered in reply to himself as he took a deep drag and exhaled.

*          *          *          *          *

"That was really good," Will almost burped as he sat back from the table and stretched.

"You liked it huh?" Ashton grinned as he drank down the last of his wine.

"Yeah, I really did, it's been a long time since I've actually sat at home," he paused and grew quiet.

"Yeah," Ashton smiled.

"You know I mean, yeah well this is kinda like my home," Will almost whispered as he looked off.

"It's nice to have someone," Will paused again.

"That cares?" Ashton asked just as quietly.

"Yeah," Will replied turning to face him.

Ashton could see the tears pooling in the bottom of Will's eyelids.

"Hey, it's cool man," Ashton exclaimed suddenly as Will stood and walked over to the sofa.

"I'm sorry, I'm just still pretty messed up," Will sniffled as he pulled out a cigarette as Ashton sat down next to him.

"Don't be, you've been through a lot," he replied quietly as he took the cigarette from Will.

"You don't need that," he almost whispered.

Will turned his head back to face Ashton.

"I know, it's just," Will tried to explain.

"I know what it does for you, inside, but smoking them isn't going to help. If you can't get past being upset on your own, you'll stay addicted to them," Ashton explained.

Will normally found himself annoyed when people tried to preach to him about the dangers and addictions of cigarettes. Except this time, it didn't bother him. Yet again it felt really good to have someone care about him like that.

"Well, I need something to take my mind off of stuff, something to help calm me," Will muttered as Ashton leaned in and pressed his mouth on Will's.

*          *          *          *          *

Taylor lifted the cigarette to his mouth and before he realized it he had snapped the filter off and crumbled the fire and tobacco in between his fingers.

"Fuck," he yelped as his fingers stung from the heat of the cherry as it touched his skin.

"Shit shit," he cussed as he rubbed his hand on his pants.

"Aww fuck me," he groaned as he looked down realizing he was wearing light tan khaki pants, now streaked with black from the ashes on his finger tips.

"Son-of-a-bitch," he growled.

Glancing around he saw a water cooler and walked over shaking his hand. A moment after filling a cup Tay sunk his finger tip into the ice cold water and sighed as the burning sensation mellowed and went away.

*          *          *          *          *

Will felt his head tip back. The soft feel of Ashton's lips pressed against his was, different. The tingling and the sensation, the feel of Ashton's hand behind his neck was interesting. While it was nothing like Taylor, not nearly as mind boggling, it too had an amazing effect on Will.

He felt himself melting as Ashton's tongue licked against his mouth. He almost found himself opening his lips when suddenly he became aware of exactly what was happening.

"Whoa, whoa," Will gasped as he pulled his mouth back and struggled to sit up more.

"Whoa, yeah, I'm," Ashton glanced around looking dazed as well.

"It's," Will stuttered.

"I'm sorry," Ashton sighed putting his hand to his forehead.

Will looked over at him. His eyes scanned up and down his chest and stomach, and back up to his face, with his strong jaw line, his masculine yet smooth features. Will felt himself growling inside. The physical desire to jump Ashton was growing inside. Suddenly realizing that his body desperately craved the physical contact, Will heard his left and right brain arguing. It was nice, to have someone want him, especially someone as attractive as Ashton.

Will looked away and then back.

"Hey it's cool, I," Ashton started as Will threw his leg over Ashton's legs and found himself sitting in his lap.

"Shh," Will whispered taking Ashton's face in his hands.

"I," Ashton started.

"Don't talk," Will whispered as he pressed his lips against Ashton's and pushed his tongue into his mouth.


On to Chapter Twelve

Back to Chapter Ten

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