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Diana herded the other children up the stairs to bed. Conversation was sparse and quiet as the remainder of the group put away things and cleared the room one at a time. First to leave was Daniel - a quick peck from Jess and he was out the door. "I guess we'd better follow their lead. Come on honey and I'll drive you home." Isaac said, pulling El up off the floor. She kissed Walker and Zac on the cheek. "Tell Diana and the kids I said bye. Nice meeting you finally Moirah, I hope we get to see a lot more of each other." She smiled with Moirah. Waving to them all. "Night everyone." Isaac said and followed her out of the room. Jess kissed her father's cheek. "Night Daddy, I'm going to go do some algebra problems before bed." Nodding he waved her off as she was leaving the room, a last smile to her brother and Moirah. Walker got the last of the videos put away and stood up, stretching. "Night you two, I'm gonna head up and tuck in the kids with your Mom." Walker said, squeezing his son's shoulder affectionately as he passed. "Night." They replied in unison, causing Walker to turn and grin before he left the room. They hadn't even noticed that they'd done it they were so wrapped up in what they were doing and being together. Happily shaking his head he left them behind, sitting on the floor exactly the same way as before. Zac behind her, leaning over her shoulder and his arm around her waist. Oh the innocence of love. Quietly the two spoke of the 'event.' Was Taylor really warming up to her as they'd hoped? That was the question that plagued them both. It wasn't long before she stifeled a yawn. He grinned at her. "That's what you get for running off so damned early in the morning." He teased her. She half turned and smiled at him, melting his heart with ease. "Come on, let's get these put away and get you into bed too." Zac said, gathering up the scattered photos. Soon enough they headed up the stairs too. Taylors Door was closed, so Zoe must be asleep already. His father was stretched out on his own bed flipping through TV channels Zac noticed as they went by. He could hear music thumping a bit from Jess's closed door. Zoe was sound asleep, snuggled up to Whinnie the Pooh, a soft night light casting an angelic glow over her cute little face. His mother was sitting and quietly talking with Avie as he passed her door. He gave them both a warm smile, recieving one from each of them in return. Moirah followed him up the steps to the guestroom. He turned on the soft bedside lamp, then rooted through her cd's, slipping them into the player. Meanwhile Moirah had stripped her jeans off and was working on the hooks of her bra. He toed off his shoes and sat on the edge of the bed. She went into the little bathroom and scrubbed her face then brushed her teeth. Flipping off the light she yawned again. He smiled as he patted the bed next to him. Taking her hair down she quickly brushed it out and crawled up onto the bed. Laying beck together he held her. Both of them just enjoying the comfort and feel of one another. A deep sigh, brimming with satisfaction, escaped Zac before he quietly started their conversaiton. He asked her about her day with the girls and told her about the music he was working on. She mentioned his history paper and he crinkled up his nose in dusgust making her laugh. It was a bit stuffy in the little room but she felt a little chill over her bare legs. He pulled the afghan over her and she snuggled into him as they talked about what needed to be done tomarrow until she fell asleep. He hadn't meant to stay, but he too drifted off. Not thinking about why he shouldn't be in her room, only knowing how right it felt to be in her embrace.
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Bright and early the next morning Diana answered the phone amid the chaos of making breakfast. Handing the cordless phone to Jess she instructed the girl to take it to Moirah and wake her gently. It seemed like an important call otherwise she would have just taken a message. When Jess entered the quiet room she had all she could do to quell the dull roar of her burst of laughter. Moirah lay curled up against Zac who was looking for all the world like her blanket. His long leg was thrown over both of Moirahs and she was using one of his arms for a pillow, her nose pressed against his shoulder. She was holding him like a big stuffed teddy bear and his other arm covered a good portion of the small woman, his hand resting against her hip. Jess knew from their position there was no way she could wake Moirah with out disturbing her brother as well. Eventhough he was fully clothed and it was obvious that he'd merely fallen asleep, that nothing had happened, she was determined to tease him relentlessly about it. She knew she'd be able to razz him about his predicament for days. She loved being able to hold something like that over his head, it shut him up quick when he would tease her about Daniel. Trying her best to hold back her giggle she leaned in close to whisper loudly into Moirahs ear. "Moirah... you have a phone call. Wake up Moirah!" The two stirred, yanking Jess's giggle out. Biting her lip she shook Moirahs arm a bit which shook her brother. "Five more minutes." Zac groaned. She couldn't help herself, she laughed outright. His eyes shot open and he glared at her. "What do you want pest?" He sneered. She was now holding her sides in a futile attempt to keep her laughter from bubbling over. "Moirah has a phone call." She stated through her mirth. For a split second his face was clouded with confusion until a soft moan bounced off his houlder. "Who is it Jess?" Moirah asked half asleep. "Oh shit!" Zac gasped when the realization hit him. Moirah's eyes popped open, a moment of disorientation ensued then she grasped the reality all too well. "What are you doing here?" she cried as she tried to disentangle herself from Zac's body. "I... I must have fallen asleep." He offered as explanation. Ever so sarcasticly Jess put her hand on her hip. thrusting it sideways. "Sure you did Zaccy. Very believable, mmhmm. Suppose Mom and Dad would believe that huh?" "Shut up Jess!" He seethed at her as he sat up rubbing the back of his neck. Moirah pulled herself up and reached for the phone, pressing it to her ear. "Hello?" She got no response. "There's nobody there." Moirah stated bewildered. Zac gentely pulled her hands towards his. "You gotta press this button, it's like hold." He informed her. She smiled at him winningly and he grinned back at her, sparkling puppy eyes and all. "Oh please! And you talk about me and Daniel?" Jess huffed. Zac shot her a death glare. She only rolled her eyes at her older brother. "If you two are quite finnished?" Moirah asked, a grin on her face. They both looked sheepishly at her and nodded. "Hello?" Moirah tried once more. "Oh Ramone! Darling how are you?" Moirah purred. Jess looked totally confused as she watched her brother not even flinch when Moirah had just called another man 'darling.' That was just odd. She watched, eyes growing wider as Zac just shuffled off towards the half bath in the guest room, scratching his belly and yawning while Moirah prattled on. "I tried to call yesterday love, where were you?" Jess shook her head comicly. "Dear, I told you before, he doesn't mind." Moirah went on, pushing herself towards the headboard and clutching a pillow to her lap. Zac the zombie came back into the room and headed for the bed, he sat on the edge fo the bed at Moirahs silent request. "Sure, here he is." Moirah said, offering the phone to him. "'Lo?" His morning voice was raspy and deep. Jess was completely dumbfounded now. "Dude, I don't wanna know ok? But to answer your first question... as far as I know, no." Zac and Moirah shared a knowing look between them. "No I aint gonna ask him man... that just aint something I want to say to my brother if ya know what I mean." He chuckled. Moirah's eyes widened with her grin. "Yup, you to. Later Ramone." Zac finnished, handing the phone back to Moirah. Jess stopped listening to the conversation, trying to focus on Zac as he got up and went to the dresser. He ran a brush through his snarlly hair, humming to himself. She caught his attention from the corner of his eye. "What now bane of my existence?" He teased. She sucked in the breath she'd been avoiding. "Who...? What...?" She just didn't know where to begin. A look of confusion crossed over Zac's face then his eyes lit up with realization. He burst into a regaleing laughter. Moirah put her hand over the phone for a minute and asked. "What's so damned funny?" He did his best to catch his breath, pointing at his sister. "She... she... she doesn't know who Ramone is!" He roared. Moirah giggled. "Don't be so mean Zac, tell the poor girl! That conversation probably seem like the twilight zone to her." Moirah scolded him. "I'll say." Jess grumbled shaking her head, looking expectantly at her brother. He stood up straigh, sucked in a deep breath and with a straight face he announced. "Ramone is her assistant, her gay assistant who just asked me to see if Tay wanted to take a walk on the wild side." He cracked up and held himself up by hanging onto the dresser. Jess grinned as she let it sink in. Then she began to laugh. The longer she laughed the louder it got. Zac strode across the room and covered her mouth with his big rough hand. "Shhh! You don't want to hurt his feelings do you?" He whispered. She shook her head, trying to hold back her laughter. "I don't think you have to worry about that." Moirah informed them. The siblings looked at her, identicle grins pasted on. "He's laughing harder then the both of you put together."
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Moirah finnished her conversation shortly after that and Jess headed down the stairs to return the phone wearing a grin over what had happened in Moirah's room. She didn't know if she was going to be able to hold in this bit of embarrassing info she had over her brother, it was just so tempting to share it and let them all have a laugh. As she headed for the kitchen, she met her mother going up the stairs. She knew Zac would head to his room shortly to dress so he could come down for breakfast. She wondered if her mom would catch him. She waited at the bottom of the stairs for the show that would no doubt follow. She was right. Her mother went into her room and was out of sight for a moment, then she heard him, he was dragging his feet down the hallway and the scrape of his gait against the carpet was unmistakable. Jess covered her mouth in giddy anticipation. Just as Diana was comming out of her room, she nearly collided with her towering son. She stopped short and stared up at him. He'd neglected to finnish brushing his hair and his clothes were rumpled, the same ones he had worn the day before. He still had a sleepworn look to him, but the tell tale shoes he carried in his hand were a dead give away to his secret. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other. "Sorry Ma, didn't notice you." He tried to hurry off. She knew exactly what had happened, and she wasn't going to let him off that easy. "So Zac, how's Moirah this morning?" She slyly asked. He winced with the question. He knew that she knew, and that made him know that this was not going to be easy. "Fine, just fine. Well, gotta go." He tried again. His mothers hand shot out and gentley lay on his arm, to him it felt like a red hot poker. "And how did she sleep last night?" His mother asked with false sweetness. He swallowed thickly. "Ok I guess, I really wouldn't know." He tried once more to brush her off. His mother released him and let him head off in the direction of his room. "Oh, and Zac...?" She called after him. He stopped, closing his eyes in silent prayer before turning to her, a hesitant and manufactured smile upon his lips. "Yes Ma?" He answered, hoping beyond hope that she would let him go unscathed. "Sleeping in ones clothes tends to make one sweat. Perhaps after your shower you would be so kind as to put fresh linnens on Moirahs bed please?" She asked him with saccherine in her voice and a glimmer of a cruel smile behind her motherly facade. "Uhhh... sure thing Ma." He stumbled out, waiting for her to drop the other shoe. "Thank you dear." She said back to him and headed off down the stairs. She left him bewildered and wondering just what the hell happened. She *knew*, of that he was sure. Then why did she not come down on him and put the fear of God into him? He shook his head and went to his room to gather up some clean clothes for his shower. He left his room and saw Moirah heading into the girls bathroom for her own shower. He waved and headed off down the stairs for breakfast, he was starved. He strode into the room and started filling his plate. Behind him a titter from his little sisters sounded off. He thought nothing off it as he buttered his toast. He heard the murmer of his mother at his fathers ear, nothing unusual he thought while pouring his coffee. He sat at the table and a full hardy laugh broke from his fathers chest. He looked round the table and met several grins and snickers. "What?!" He cried. Jess leaned toward him and whispered to him, his eyes growing wide and his mouth gaping like a guppie. More laughter broke out around the table as his face turned lobster red. He poked at his eggs, head bowed in the purest form of embarrassment. He would have liked nothing more than to crawl under the table and die right then. "Son." His fater snatched his attention from his breakfast, making him look up into warm and familiar dark brown eyes. "Don't sweat it son." He said with a smile. Then he pointed a finger in mock menace. "And don't let it happen again either." He finnished. Zac lowered his eyes in reverence and nodded silently. He was more than relieved that all he got was a simple scolding for something considered so very imoral in his parents eyes. Maybe they weren't as uptight as he was led to believe.
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He began his breakfast once more, a dull roar of their normal morning meal surrounded him until Moirah came into the room. A second round of giggles began to stir and he shot his head up, meeting several pairs of familiar eyes with scorn as if to say, 'don't you dare tease her.' Silence quickly reigned once more. She walked across the room and poured herself a glass of milk and sat down with an apple muffin. "Did I miss the party this morning? Are we all done laughing at Zac's embarrassment?" She piped up, not meeting anyones eyes as she set her breakfast down then pecked Zac's cheek. Again a roar bounced off the walls of the diningroom, led heartily by Walker himself. Zoe climbed down out of her seat and tugged at Moirahs sleeve to gain her attention. Looking down at the cherubic face she smiled. "Why's everyone laughing at Zac? He's not even being funny this morning?" She asked in her tiny voice. A new burst of mirth began only to confound the little girl. Moirah stifled her own giggles as best she could. Zac beside her, head down hiding his face in his crossed arms that lay on the table, the tips of his ears sticking out like gaudy rubies. Moirah bent to the little girl and whispered to her loud enough for her mother to hear. "He was caught being naughty, but I'm not gonna embarrass him anymore by telling you what he did, ok? Let's just be nice to him, he's had it rough enough for now don't you think?" She explained to the small one. Zoe nodded then tugged at Zac's shirt hem, bending over to peer up at his face the best she could from underneath and between his arms. He shifted so he could see her concearned little face but nobdy else could see him. He gave her a tiny smile and she rewarded him with a wide grin. She pushed at his arms with her head as she climbed up into his lap, hugging him fiercely around the neck as he held her on his lap. "I still love you Zac, no matter how bad you were." She said to him, holding his cheeks in her chuby hands making fish lips of his mouth. He grinned the best he could and hugged his baby sister. "Thank you Zozo, and I love you too." Breakfast passed without anymore incidents. Still, for Moirah, it felt a bit off kilter still. True Taylor had laughed along with the rest of them, but somehow, she could sense the animosity behind it. To her there was an undercurrent of ingenuineness. She tried to ignore it the best she could, letting it slide. After all, what could she do? Slap him and yell in his face until he understood? Hardly, though sometimes she felt like it certainly. The only thing that put her at ease was the more than real grin that Zac sported. It more than made up for everything. If he was happy, she was happy. A short time after the breakfast table was cleared Isaac came in, Ashley right behind him. "Good morning dear." Diana sang out as he kissed her cheek. "Morning Mom." He and his father nodded in greeting. "Ashley, nice to see you... what is it dear? You look worried?" Diana asked the other man. He shook his head. "Morning Diana, I'm afraid I am a bit worried." He answered. "What's the deal man?" Taylor asked. Ashley pulled a chair from the table and sat for a moment, adressing the family as a whole. "I'm afraid I have some bad news, but not too bad." He started, trying to reassure them after a startled look from Diana. "I got a call form a fire inspecter last night, they want to take a look at the old house, make sure it's up to code and all, but... they may fine you because he says that this is not the first time they have called and that we neglected to return their calls. I tried to tell them that we were all gone and that we hadn't recieved any calls from their office, he says that the law is the law and he will have to follow the letter of the law." Ashley got it all out on the table. Walker sat stroking his chin, a thoughtful look behind his eyes. "So what do we have to do to try our best to get out of getting in hot water?" Walker finally voiced. Ashley shrugged. "I think maybe it would be best if you and Diana came down to the old house with me and tried to go through the house with the inspecter. It will probably only take a few hours, but I think it's worth it to avoid trouble." Ashley suggested. Diana nodded in agreement. "Isaac, be a dear and watch the children, they can do some of their work on thier own in vocabulary and spelling and math until we come back." She asked her eldest son. "Of course Mom, no problem." He answered her helpfully. Walker stood up. "So when is he supposed to be there?" He asked. Ashley looked at his watch. "I think in about a half hour. Maybe we should just go now." He offered. "Oh, of course." Diana rushed to the next room, fetching her coat and purse from the closet. "Be good for your brother kids, we'll be back soon enough." Walker told them all. A round of promises sent them out the door. As soon as the car was out of sight Isaac turned back around and looked at the quiet brood behind him then said. "Hurry up and get changed, we only have a few hours to get the portrait done, I could only afford a few hours of the guys time, he is a real inspecter and has a job to do you know." Chaos broke out and they scattered like alley cats.
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Moirah took Zoe by the hand and led her up the stairs behind a pair of chattering girls, Jess and Avie. "Moirha, what should I wear? Purple or blue?" Avie asked her, a crinkle in her brow. "I want to wear blue though." Jess stated. "How bout you Zoe? What color do you want to wear?" Moirah asked the girl. "Pink. I wanna wear my pink party dress with the pearls." She said gleefully. "Oh Zoe, I don't know, maybe that's too dressy for just a picture." Jess tried to steer her little sister out of the frilly choice. "Well, you two go and try on what you want, come back to Zoe's room while I'm helping her and we will see if you all blend well enough, ok?" Moirah offered. The other two nodded and headed to their rooms. At the top of the stairs she stopped when Isaac called up to her. "I've got a suit coat and a tie if I need them. Should I go get them out of the car?" He asked her. "Maybe that would be best Ike, and could you find me a black umbrella too?" She called back down to him. Nodding he headed out the door on his quest. "Zac, help Mac change would you? See if you can find him a tie, and tell Taylor to try a tie too... I don't know yet if that is what we'll do, but I want you all to look like you belong together, we may go a different route, but for now, better to be prepared." Moirah yelled to Zac as she stood at Zoe's bedroom door, catching him on his way from the bathroom to his room. He nodded and detoured to Taylors room to tell him before he headed off to Mac's room. Moirah opened the girls closet and stood back. "Show me what you want to wear, pick three, and I will help you see which one is the best." She told the young one. Zoe dug in her closet and produced a garment bag, laying it on the bed gingerly. "This is my very best one. Taylor bought it for me for a fancy party we went to. I was his date!" She said proudly, chest puffed up in pride. Moirah smiled at her, loving the twinkle in her happy eyes at the thought of being special to one of her older brothers. Being the baby of such a large family she was certainly lavished with love. The girl next rooted through the frocks to find a yellow and powder blue outfit of lacey overalls and blouse. Laying that too on the bed she went back to the closet once more, standing with her chin in her hand, thoughts brewing behind her features. A smile popped up and she dove back into the closet once more, comming up with her prize of yet another garment bag, laying it too on the bed. "There, those are my three favorite ones." She announced. Moirah smiled at the youngster. "Good, now lets see which one looks the best." She told her, unzipping the first garment bag and pulling out a confection of a dress, sweet as cotton candy. "Wow! Now that is a fancy dress." She stated, Zoe nodding and grinning. "Like a princess huh?" She asked the woman. Moirah smiled sweetly, knowing full well that was far too ostentatios for the portrait. Still she indulged the little one. "Quite! Now try it on. Then you can try on the others and we can see which one is right." Zoe hurried to comply, stripping off her shirt and jeans in a jiffy. Avie knocked as she opened the door. "Moirah? I don't think this is quite right. What do you think?" She asked as she stood for inspection. Eyeing the girl up and down she turned her around. "Well, it is lovely, but I think you're right. Not quite what would be best. Show me what else you've got." She offered the girl. Avie nodded and hurried back to her room. Zoe stood on the chair and looked in the dressers mirror. "Isn't it pretty?" She asked the woman. Moirah smiled warmly at her. "It is indeed dear, you look just like a princess. But you know what?" Zoe turned to look at her. "I don't think I will match everyone else, maybe not this one huh?" She finnished her thought for her. Moirah laughed. "You're a smart one Zoe." She offered as she helped the girl down from the chair and out of the fancy dress. Isaac came to the door as Zoe was trying to do up her over all straps. He walked in and did them for her as he spoke to Moirah. "Tay's not ready yet, Zac said he wants you to approve he and Mac, Jess wants help with her hair, I offered and she refused, she says it needs a womans touch." He laughed at that with Moirah. "I'll be out soon enough, Zoe and I are deciding which one she will wear. By the way, what color is your suit coat?" She asked him. "Brown, it came with these pants." He told her. Nodding she turned Zoe around. "That's nice Zoe, let's see the last one and we'll choose so we can go and take your picture ok?" Tugging at Isaacs pants Zoe got his attention. "Ike, help me undo these?" She pleaded. Laughing he bent down to her. "Sure Zoe." He offered. "I'm going to go check on the others, help her get the last one on and I'll come back and tell you which one would be best ok?" She asked them both. They nodded and she left the room. Stopping by Avies room she peeked in. "Everything ok?" She asked the young girl. "Oh sure, I was just fixing my hair. Is this better?" Avie asked comming to the door and spinning once for Moirah. "Lovely dear, just right I think. Your parents will be so proud of how grown up you look." She told the girl. Grinning Avie thanked her and let Moirah on her way. "Jess, Ike said you needed help." She called through the closed door. "I'm not ready yet Moirah, can I call you when I need you?" Jess called back. "Sure honey, just holler and I'll come help you with whatever you need." She offered and once more went on her way. She knocked on Mac's door. "Everybody descent?" She called. The door was flung open and a laugh greeted her. "Yes we are." Taylor said, inviting her into the room. Mac was standing next to the bed, fidgeting as Zac tied his tie. "Oh Mac, how handsome you look!" She gushed. He grinned at her and stood taller. Zac straightened the tie and smoothed out the shoulders of his brothers jacket then stood beside him. "Told ya dude, the girls are gonna go gaga for ya in a few years."
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Zac punched his little brother lightly on the arm. They all laughed together. Then Taylor adressed Moirah. "I think I'm a little over dressed. What do you think?" He asked her. She looked him over. He was more than elegant. But he was right, it was a bit over the top. "Perhaps if you loose the tie and trade the jacket for a sweater?" She suggested. He thought for a moment then pointed to her. "I think I have just the thing. Be right back." He said as he headed off. "Do I gotta wear this jacket? And this tie is chocking me!" Mac whined. Moirah laughed softly and sat on the bed beckoning to him. She loosened his tie and slipped his jacket off. "Can you live with that?" She asked him. He nodded and she laughed. "Good, now go see if Tay needs any help." She shooed him out of his own room. Zac chuckled, picking up a toy dinosaur, looking at it weirdly then setting it back down. "I suppose I should go get dressed now myself. Wanna help?" He said slyly, wiggling his eyebrows. She laughed at him. "I'd love to, but I'm otherwise occupied. Can I take a raincheck?" She said, snuggling up next to him as he wrapped his arms around her. "I suppose, if you have to." He said, disappointment dramatic in his voice. "I do." She answered. He kissed her then shoved her back out the door ahead of him. "Hurry up. Ike says we don't have much time, you heard him." Zac said as he hurried off towards his own room. She raced back down the hallway, back to Zoe's room. "Well Ike, what do you say? Which one?" She asked before she even saw the third outfit. "I dunno, tell me what you think." He answered her, doing up the last button on Zoe's back, he stood up and moved out of the way so she could see. "Oh sweetie! that's definately the perfect one!" Moirah gushed. Isaac had obviously thought so too for he had helped his little sister into a pair of white tights and matching white patent leather shoes. "Do you like this one Moirah? Grandma bought this for me. I haven't worn it yet." Zoe asked, a huge grin on her adorable face. Moirah twirled her around piroette style watching the silky creases of the white dress flow out as if were blooming. "It's quite possibly one of the prettiest dresses I've ever seen Zoe." She said truthfully. "You're very lovely Zoe." Isaac concurred. She gave her big brother a beaming smile for his compliment. "How about we do your hair up with a pretty blue ribbon?" Moirah offered. Zoe nodded and flounced off to the dresser to find the right one. "Thank you Ike, it is perfect, you knew that didn't you?" She said to him. He grinned and nodded. "Anything else I can do to help?" He offered, checking his watch. She thought for a moment. "I suppose you could see if Tay is ready. Mac is done and Zac just went in to change." She suggested. He nodded and headed for the door. "Oh, and check to see if Avie is ready. I'm sure she is by now." She called after him. "Can do." He retorted. Zoe brought her a brush and a lovely blue ribbon and they sat on the bed to do her hair as quickly as possible. When that was done, she stood her up to look over the little girl. "I think you're done." She stated. "Wait! I want to wear my bracelet that El made me." Zoe said running back to her dresser and fetching out a small bracelet of wired beads. "Very nice." Moirah said as she helped the girl fasten it. "Now let's go see about the rest of them hmm?" She asked the little one. Together they went out to the hall. Isaac was outside Tay's door with Mac at the other end of the hallway. Avie was standing at the top of the stairs, ready to go. "Go wait with Avie and I'll see if Jess needs some help." She told the girl. Zoe did just that. "Need any help?" Moirah asked, knocking on Jess's door. "No... I got it thanks. I'll be out in a minute." Jess called back. "Ok." Moirah answered. She went off down the hall as Taylor came out of his room, looking just as dashing but more casual. Just right for the portrait. Mac banged on Zac's door. "Hurry up man! You're taking as long as a girl!" He teased his big brother. Ike eyed him with a friendly scowl but Tay laughed loudly. The three brothers headed down the hallway together and stopped by the two waiting sisters. "Maybe you can hurry him up." Isaac suggested to Moirah. She nodded and went off towards his door. She knocked. "You bout ready? We're just waiting for you and Jess now." She asked through the closed door. "Come on in." He called back to her. She opened the door and slipped in. He was hiking up his pants, jumping in an effort to get them on faster. She laughed at the comical show. "Not funny baby, I think they shrunk." He pouted. She shook her head and sat on the bed, fingering his shirt that lay there. "When was the last time you wore them?" She asked, eyeing the length that seemed a bit on the short side. "I dunno, couple years ago?" He shrugged. She laughed again, making him spin around, his pants falling to his knees making her laugh harder. "Zac, how dense are you? I think you out grew them some time ago. They did not shrink." She informed him. He looked at her for a moment before he too burst out in raucaus laughter. "I'm an idiot." He stated with mirth. She only nodded and went to his closet to find him a substitute. He pulled off the pants and stood in his skivies for a moment. "Can I still wear the shirt? I really like the shirt." He asked her. She looked over her shoulder. "When did you wear that last?" She asked trying to hold back her giggle. He grinned at her. "A few weeks ago. So there." He stuck out his tongue at her and laughed. "I meant will it clash." He informed her. She grinned back at him once more, pulling a pair of black slacks from a hanger. "I think you can if you can still fit into these." She said handing him the new pair of pants she had chosen. He quickly slipped them on, thankful that they fit him, though he noticed he didn't need a belt anymore and they were almost too short when he used to have to cuff them.
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"Good enough then." She said making sure they fit him well enough. She slipped his tie on him as he buttoned up his shirt. She was tieing his tie as he tucked in his shirt when the door banged open. "Hurry up man, we ain't got all day." Taylor rushed his brother, a look of something uncomfortable in his eye. "Hold your horses." Zac snapped back to him. Taylor gave him one last look and quickly shut the door. She looked up to him and he knew what she meant from her expression. He sighed. "I know... I'm sorry. It's just that sometimes he irks me. I'll appologize later ok?" He asked her. She nodded and kissed him gently as she ran her hand over his jaw, then she smiled at him. "Hurry up ok?" She said as she handed him a brush. He nodded and took the band from his hair as she stepped out of the room. She approached Taylor from behind, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned to her, a bit of hurt in his eyes still. "Sorry, he's just..." She offered. "I know." He told her, soothing the rift a bit more with his smile he'd offered her. She smiled back at him, showing her gratatude before she took over the chaos that milled in the hallway as they all waited for the last two. "Ike, did you find me a black umbrella?" She asked him. "Yup, El left hers in my car." He told her. She nodded and turned to Mac. "Be a dear and run up to fetch my camera bag would you Mac? It's purple, hanging on the back of the bathroom doorknob." She asked the boy. He nodded and tore off towards the steps of the guest room. Zac came out of his room shortly after that, hopping down the hallway as he tried to walk and tie his shoe at the same time. He came to a stop beside his brother and looked up to him as he succeded at his task. He stood up and touched his brothers arm. They met eyes and exchanged smiles. Appology silent but accepted. "Zac, the tie is too much, it doesn't suit you well." Moirah said, her demeanor all bussiness now. He grinned and took the tie off. Mac returned with her bag and stood at her side. She looked them all over once more. "Ike, nix the tie, but the jacket is very you." He nodded and whipped off the tie, glad to be rid of it. Next she looked down at Zoe. "Come here dear, let me fix your bow, it's lopsided." She offered, noticing that the ribbon the girl had chosen was eerily the same shade of blue as Taylors eyes. As she fixed Zoe's bow she told Avie that her earring was missing, it was soon found in the carpet of the hall and restored to it's proper place. "Taylor your shoe's untied." She said as Jess's door was heard opening. The girl walked out into the hallway and all noise stopped. Every pair of eyes stared at her, she met them with a wavering uncertain small smile. Her eyes asking acceptance. "My God, when did you grow up Jess?" Zac asked in a bewildered quiet tone. She smiled at him appreciatavely. "You're so pretty!" Zoe squeeled, running to her for a hug. A glance toward Moirah and a quiet nod from the woman gave her a much needed boost of confidence. Taylor stepped up to his sister and offered her an arm like a proper escort. She looked at him like he were nuts. Smiling down to her he explained. "I figured I would be first in line. You know I always want to be seen with the most stunning woman available whenever possible." She smiled widely at his kind words and loving gesture. Taking his arm they led the procession down the stairs and out to the back yard.
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As soon as the crowd was in the yard Moirah's professionalism took over. For the three eldest they were used to working with photographers, but the younger set were a bit bewildered by the change in her attitude. They stayed back and out of her way. She tossed orders about like a general. "Zac and Ike fetch the white filligree bench from the front of the house. Taylor push the lawn mower over to the side of the house. Jess, make sure the wee ones stay clean while I set up." She barked out. The all bussled under her rule. Mac held her bag for her until Avie brought over a chair for her to set it in. She thanked them both brusquely and went about her work. Taylor picked up a few stray toys and tossed them toward the lawn mower as Moirah cleaned her lens. Zac and Ike came back with the bench she had requested and waited patiently while she decided where the best placement would be to catch the proper light and most benificial angle. Everything was set up and a satisfied nod was given by Moirah. "Fine. Now..." She started, eyeing the antsy group. "I think it's best we approach this as a formal portrait, but try to keep it comfortably casual." Taylor and Isaac looked at her strangely. She had just contradicted herself and neither one of them wanted to point that out. She noticed the odd glances between the two brothers. Taking note of the strained behavior she laughed, immediately the mood was loosened. "I'm sorry, that made no sense to you did it?" She asked. They hesitantly nodded. "I just meant, this is a formal portrait, in a classical sense. Family groupping, everyone dressed to the nines. Up to your eye teeth in finery." The nodded again, with her so far. "But, I don't think that a stiff posed atmosphere is appropriate because you are not a stuffy family, it would look very un-natural." She explained. 'Ohhh...' Was the chorus. Now they really understood. She shrugged and slipped back into her professional mode. "Now Isaac..." She said, getting everyone's attention. "You sit on one side of the bench." He did so. "No, no, over to my right." She instructed. He did so and recieved a nod from her. "Taylor, the other side now." She directed. And he did as told. "Jess, stand behind Ike, and Zoe, you sit on Ikes lap." She spouted off next. Ike hauled his baby sister up onto his lap and the rest waited patiently as Taylor checked his watch. "Mac, you site between your brothers... that's it, squish in there, good. Now Avie, you stand behind Tay, and Zac, you stand behind the girls." She directed, nudging Zac along. "Now..." She sighed, standing back to take a look at what she had to work with now that she had them properly placed. She approaced them all and proceeded to adjust them. She smoothed out Zoe's dress and straightened her bow once more. She next smoothed out some of Ike's unruley curls, and attempted to situate his collar. She straightened Mac's tie and pushed his hair to the side, tweaking his nose and making him giggle. "Taylor, sit up straighter please." She asked him. He pushed himself up and fidgeted under her fingers as she attempted to smooth the creased in his pants. She ignored it and moved on. She went behind the bench and put a hand to Zac's chest, pushing lightly to have him step back to make room for her. He did, offering her a loving smile as he was at it. She returned it briefly before turning her attention back to his sisters. "Stand closer together girls, we have to be able to see you over your brothers." She told them, placing a hand on each girls shoulder and pulling them together. She turned Avie's earring over so it hung straight again and brushed away a flake of mascarra off Jess's cheek. Zac marveled at her attention to detail and precision in getting everything to her level of standards. Next she pulled Zac back into his spot, tugging him by the upper arms. He stumbled into his designated spot and stood patiently as she fussed with his hair. A slight blush rose to his cheeks when she reached into his pants, but he chuckled when she only untucked his shirt. She lightly cuffed the back of his head, then fixed his hair again when they all giggled, except for Taylor. She stiffened at that and went back to her work. "All right, I need to see a smile from everyone." She called out as she got infront of the siblings and behind her camera. They all did as asked and she took an obligatory picture to relax them. "Now..." She said, looking them over. "That was nice." She lied. "But I think we can do so much better. A beautiful family like this... I know we can do better." She complimented, illiciting genuine smiles from them all and before the fleeting mood passed she captured it on film. "See there, I knew you could do it better. How much better do you think we could get?" She asked in general. "Lots?" Zoe piped up. They all lauged with her innocence. And while they were, she watched them for that perfect of still moments that spoke to her. Isaacs graceful hands cradled his little sister lovingly and the smile that touched him was pure in devotion. Taylor's eyes sparkled like cut gems, drawing out his real emotion heavily of his love for his family. He had slung his arm over the back of the bench and it was nearly drapped over the shoulders of an amused Mac who's head was turned a bit to watch the glee on Zoe's heaven touched face. Avie and Jess where glancing at each other slightly, their smiles held the mirth of the world showing the depth of their commitment for them all. Zac had stooped and thrown a jovial arm over each sisters shoulders. His dazzling grin lit his eyes in true love for each of these people. A quiet smile passed her lips as Moirah's camera clicked. They didn't even notice when she walked away to gather her things.
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As she was walking around the corner she heard Mac's voice over the laughter. "Hey! Where's Moirha?" She laughed herself when she heard the abrupt cease in chuckles. Isaac's voice was next to hit her ears. "She's gone back in the house. Are we done?" He quandered. She could just imagine all the shrugs and puzzled looks on thier faces. She went straight to the kitchen and hung her head out the back door. "Are you all going to sit out there all day? I thought the kids had school work to do." She called out to them. A new round of laughter sprouted and she grinned at them before closing the door behind her. She took her camera bag up to the guest room and began to collect the things she would be needing for the rest of the day. She could hear the faint noise of traffic streaming into the house as they all headed back to their rooms to change and put away their nice clothes so as to hide the secret of this mornings activities from their parents before they returned home. Shopping bags in tow she headed back down the stairs and through the hallway to Zac's room. Setting the bags next to his door she knocked tenatively. "Yeah?" A gruff voice met her ears. She chuckled lightly, he sounded like he was having difficulty of some kind. "It's me." She told him. "Help me!" He whined from inside. She opened the door and laughed fully. "How did that happen?" She laughed as she went toward him in aid. He pouted and gave her a heavy sigh. "I dunno. Just get me outta here. We gotta get you out of the house before Mom and Dad get back and find out everything." He fussed. She gently slapped his hand away and pushed him onto the bed. She stood over him and began to gently tug at the snarl he had created in his hair. Grinning as she untangled his tresses he held her around the waist, laying his head on her midriff. It didn't take long for her to free his locks from the buttons of his shirt that hung from his head in a most comical way. "Really, I don't know how you get yourself in these kinds of situations." She teased him. "Oh sure, wait until you get your hair caught in your dress zipper again and see if I help you." He shot back, reminding her of a story she had told him. Holding her hands up in surrender she backed away as he stood up off the bed. She hung his shirt up and held out her hand for the pants. Kicking off his shoes he slipped them down over his hips and gave them to her. "Thank you anyway honey. I'm sorry I was grumpy." He offered her an appology as he cuddled up behind her, wrapping her in a warm embrace. She smoothed out the wrinkles in the clothes she had just hung and turned in his arms. "That's ok, I understand. Besides, you weren't that grumpy." She gave back to him. He shrugged. "Gives me a good reason to grope you." He tossed back grabbing her ass. She giggled and stood up on her tip toes to kiss him. He bent down and picked her up to better reach her, deepening the kiss, drawing out a tiny moan of pleasure from her. The door swung open and banged against the wall, yanking their lips apart, startled. "While you're out pick up..." Ike's voice dropped off suddenly as he noticed what he'd just interupted, Zac in his underware and Moirahs legs wrapped around his waist. "Sorry." He whispered, backing up out of the room to close the door. Moirah laughed, pushing against Zac's chest to get down out of his grip. He let her slide down and called his brother back in. "Ike, hold up man. It's not what you think. Get back in here man." He chuckled. Isaac peeked back in the door he hadn't closed all the way yet. His face red in embarrassment he stood hesitantly, hand still on the knob. Zac strode across the room past Moirah and grabbed his jeans off the floor, tugging them up over his hips. Moirah approached him and lay her hand on his that gripped the door knob. She smiled up at him reasuringly. Zac was pulling his t-shirt on over his head as he began to speak to his brother again. "I was changing and got my hair caught in my buttons of my shirt. She came in to help me and was hanging up my clothes for me when I went to give her a kiss to thank her. She's really short man, you try kissing all bent over, it's not very comfortable." He chuckled, gaining a laugh from Ike and a mock look of anger from Moirah. He shrugged and pulled her toward him, bending down to prove his point to his brother, quickly giving Moirah a brief taste of his lips. He stood up again, grinning at his older brother. Ike just shook his head in mirth. "While you're out pick up some more milk, Mom's almost out." He left the room shanking his head at his brothers humor.
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After he'd dressed his feet she shoved him out the door. They picked up all the bags she'd left in the hallway and raced down the stairs. Time was growning short, they had to get things done before it was too late. Tossing everything into the back of his truck he shut the tail gate. "You sure everythings gonna be ok back there?" He asked her as he slid into the cab behind the wheel. She looked up from buckling her seat belt and tossed a look over her shoulder to the bed of the truck. Shrugging she settled in and he started the vehicle. "If you're sure then." He stated and pulled out of the driveway. Sometime later down the road his phone rang and he handed it to her. "Hello?" She asked. She listened for a moment. "Thanks, see ya." She said and ended the call. He looked over at her as he took a right turn onto another street. "Coast is clear, he said they are on their way back home now." She smiled at him. He nodded and before long they were pulling into the parking lot of some nondescript building. He jumped out and ran around to help her down out of the truck. She stood on the running board, reaching in for her bag as he waited. When she stood up he grabbed her and set her on the ground. "You need a ladder to climb in and out of this damn thing." She laughed. He shut the door and grabbed her bag in one hand, picking up her hand in his other. Laughing, he led her toward the photolab of a family friend who had generously offered her some time in his dark room. When they entered the small reception area it was noticably dimmer than the bright sun of the fresh air they'd just left. It took a minute to remove their sunglasses and let their eyes adjust. As she tried to focus on some of the smattering of photos on display Zac left her side in search of information. He stepped up to the girl behind the desk, politely waiting for her to finnish the phone conversation she was engaged in. When she had hung up she turned a bright smile toward him. "Hi! Can I help you?" She asked in a practiced chipper tone. He smiled back at her. "Yeah, hi. Umm... could you give Reggie a buzz and tell 'em Zac's here?" He begged favor. "Sure, be just a minute." She informed him, gesturing toward the seats behind him. A last smile to her and he joined Moirah at a family portrait of some people he had no clue who they were. He briefly hoped that his own family portrait wouldn't look as stiff and forced as that one. He slipped his arm cassualy around her shoulders, bending to her ear to whisper. "Tell me we didn't look that stupid?" She chuckled lightly, turning her face up to him. "Hardly. I don't think you could, even if you tried." Was her retort. He pecked her lips and began to pull away when she grabbed the neck of his t-shirt, pulling him back down for a good and proper chaste kiss, suitable for public but promising much more later. "Ahem." A soft voice was heard from behind, clearing their throat in polite gesture of acknowledging their pressence. Her hand still upon his chest he jerked his lips from hers. A startled 'deer in headlights' look on Zac's face made the man who'd just entered the room laugh. "Sorry, but you look like you were just caught with your hand in the cookie jar." He chuckled as he approached the couple. Now it was Zac's turn to laugh. "Well, she is pretty sweet." He quipped, earning grins from all in the room. The man held his hand out to Moirah. "Hello, I'm Reggie Vaunt. Pleased to meet you Miss O'Hara. I'm a big fan." He nearly gushed. She shook his hand firmly. "Pleasure's all mine." She gave back to him. His grin was wide as he let her hand go. Zac grabbed it up quickly before it even had time to return to her side. "So... what can I do for you Zac? Ike said you needed a favor? Did you take up photography? That why you need a darkroom?" He asked. Zac shook his head. "Nope, though I may have an interest, there's no compitition between Tay and her." He pointed toward Moirah, a goofy grin spreading wider. She shoved him with her shoulder jovially. Zac began again after a short chuckle, the twinkle in his eyes screaming of his affection for the woman beside him. "Actually, Moirah here was gracious enough to agree to a session. Just this morning we sat for a family portrait. A surprize anniversary gift for Mom and Dad." He said in a hush hush voice. Reggie nodded. "Well I'm more than pleased to help you out. Come on in back then and I'll show you to our dark room." He said, turning and beckoning to the two to follow him. Reggie led them through a short maze of offices and past the entrance of a studio in use for a wedding portrait in progress. "Here we are. I hope you find everything you need. There is an intercom, here under the light switches. Black for the reception and the blue button is for my office. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to give me a holler." He rattled off, ushering them into the small room. "Thank you, I'm sure everything will be just fine." she graciously smiled at him. "Anything for the Hanson's. Besides, it's an honor to have you here, like I said, I'm a fan." He grinned widely, once again shaking her hand. She turned to Zac. "You gonna be cooped up on here or are you going to go visit with your friend?" She querried. He looked from Moirah to Reggie and back again. Reggie spoke up. "Are you stupid man? Who in their right mind would choose me over her?" They all laughed and Zac let himself be dragged further into the small room. A wave to his friend with a grin and Reggie shut the door. He chuckled all the way back to his office.
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He leaned on the counter watching her work. She prepared everything and readied the materials then walked to the switches. "It will take a moment for your eyes to adjust." She told him, hesitating before he gave her a nod. For a split second the room was plunged into blackness then a soft red glow burst into the room. A bit later her voice sounded at his ear and he wondered how she had gotten so close to him so quickly. "Can you see ok?" Her breath was moist against the skin of his neck. His deep voice chose that moment to crack. "Uh...uhuh." His eyes now fully atuned to the weird glow he reached forward for her. Drawing her close to him he picked her up, swinging her around and sitting her on the counter. She sighed when his hands smoothed over her backside and he nestled his hips between her parted knees. "I love you, you know." He whispered against her lips. She smiled, leaning her forehead onto his. "I know. And I love you too." She said softly, running her hands over his wide shoulders. A shared kiss was called upon to seal the deal. His thumbs crept up under the back of her shirt, stroking at the soft skin he found there. Her hands glided over the knotted ropes of his muscled arms, stopping at the crook of his elbows to push him away. Though her lips reached forward in protest. Craning her neck she finally lost contact with his addictive taste, her hands winning the war. "I've got to get to work. There's still so much to do." She whispered, regret weighing heavily in her fragile voice. He nodded. Achingly he pulled his hands away from her body and stepped back. She pouted briefly then hopped off the counter. She looked over her shoulder once more before she began her task. Responsibilities could not be ignored and she couldn't tie up the dark room with idle time. She sighed and began. Zac tried his best to keep his hands and lips off her. It was hard for she was very tempting, but he succeeded enough for before long she was hanging pictures to dry. In the dim red glow it was hard to really judge the pictures but even then he noticed some of the details. He grinned at a shot of two of his sisters and Nancy standing on their heads, tongues hanging out in their effort. It was a moment of childhood innocence captured for eternity. That was what he liked about pictures. They held a memory for you, vivid and colorful, until you were ready to remember it again. "Lights." She warned before turning on the bright bulb. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, easing them open again slowly as they adjusted to the familiar illumination. "Now, let's choose a picture to enlarge." She sighed, comming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. She peeked out form underneath his arm as he turned in her embrace. "Why bother? You already know which one, I know you." He chuckled. "Well maybe because you are the one who thought of this so you should choose?" She stated with a 'duh' tone. "Very funny." He shot back. "Well at least tell me what you wnat then I'll just do what I want anyway for posterities sake." She giggled. He ground his pelvis lewdly agianst her, a sly look lighting his face. She laughed and pushed away form him. "You know what I mean, now behave!" She joked back. He dramaticly sighed dejectedly. "Well make up your mind woman. Geez! Promise a guy one thing and turn around and take it right back. You're cruel I say." He teased her, pulling her back into a tame hug. "Come on you stud you. Pay attention." She joked once more, pulling several photos infront of him. He let her go reluctantly and looked down. He took one at a time, looking them over carefully as she handed them to him. The first one was just ludicris. Nearly as poor as the one he'd spied in Reggies reception room earlier. somehow he and his brothers and sisters had managed to look plastic and manufactured. He crinkled up his nose in dusgust at that one. The next one was a bit better, but it still 'felt' forced. He supposed to an outsider it would have been perfectly acceptable. To him it was meerly second rate. He grimaced. Then she handed him the last one and he grinned so wide it hurt, but it was a good hurt. There he held the exact concept that he'd held in his mind when the notion of the gift had first appeared. It was perfection on paper. "You're too good for your own good. You know that don't you?" He asked her, handing over the photo they both knew would soon become the perfect gift to give to his parents. Parents who had been more than loving. Perents who had made many a sacrifice in the name of their love for the family they had created. Parents who were generous to a fault. Parents that he loved so deeply there was no end to the well of emotions he felt for them. Very much like he had for the woman who stood before him now. He didn't let her answer, he kissed her before she could take another breath, and it left him breathless with what he felt for her. When they broke apart he stared into her deep eyes. The shifting swirl of greens mezmerizing. "Thank you." He breathed out. Knowing that he was thanking her for so many things, she accepted it with a smile, then went back to work.
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An hour later they met El at Ikes apartment. Getting out of his truck he rushed around to the other side and helped Moirah down. "Can I see it?" El rushed excitedly. Zac grinned at her and reached beind his truck seat. He pulled out a large frame covered in a pristine sheet. Moirah helped him hold it up as Elouise lifted the cloth. "Oh!" Her breath drew in quick, sharp with delight. She smiled lovingly at the depiction of some of the people she loved the most in the world. Turning to Moirah she gushed in mannor even before speaking. "It's so beautiful! It's just perfect. They will love it so dearly. You did good Zac." She said turning to him, leaning in to peck his cheek. He blushed slightly, the grin he bore widening. "Come on in, I got my key right here. Where did Ike say to leave it?" El asked as she walked ahead of them. "He didn't." Zac informed her. El unlocked the door, nodding. "Sounds like him. Excuse the mess, sometimes he's a real slob." El giggled ushering Moirah in. She held the door open for Zac and he set the picture down, shutting the door behind him as El scurried around the room picking up stuff here and there. She shuffled together some papers from off the table and chucked them onto a nearby counter. She returned with a box and swept up into it a clutter of pens and guitar picks, loose change and oddly enough a box of crayons. She placed it on the counter ontop of the papers and ran off to the kitchen for a dish cloth. She tossed it at Zac and he went to work scrubbing off the surface. She soon returned with a towel and a traded with him. He dried the table and once more she returned with a pitcher and a stack of glasses. "Sit, please." She gestured to Moirah. Zac tossed the towel over his shoulder and moved a few coats off a chair for Moirah to be seated. He threw them into the next room onto a bed and sat down himself. "So, where do you think we can put it? Obviously Mom has not been here to clean lately, so that means she's either too busy or gave up on the hopeless slob." They chuckled together as El poured three glasses of iced tea. "So I guess that means your my sister now, I think Mom expects you to look after him now. I feel sorry for you. Such a pity to loose your sanity at such a young age." He patted her hand lovingly and El smacked his shoulder. "Oh behave. But your right. She hasn't been here, so that means she's too busy to bother, so that means we can probably be safe putting it just about anywhere that he won't be near, you know how he is with cluttering up any free surface." She grinned, pointedly looking at Zac, waiting for his agreement. She got what she was waiting for too just in his simple nod and smile. "Does he have a closet? It seems he doesn't use them much." Moirah put in her own tease. They all laughed together, easily agreeing that there was a grain of truth in that barb. "The closet it is then." El decided for them. "Why don't you wait here. I'll go and take a peek, just to make sure you're not gonna be frightened by any small furry animals or big purple toothed monsters that may or may not be inhabbiting the area." Elouise giggled. Zac stood up and took the pitcher back to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and looked in, hunger starting to set in. "Hey El?" He called. "Yeah?" Came her reply from deep in the wilds of Ikes bedroom. "How old is this pizza? I'm starved." He called back. She came out of the room lugging a basket of dirty laundry. "I don't think that's such a good idea to eat that Zac." She said wearily, setting the basket in the door way of the bathroom. "Why?" He asked, peeking under the cover of the box. It was green and fuzzy instead of the familiar red and yellow of cheesy pizza. "I don't remember him having pizza anytime lately." El warned him. "Ewww!" Zac cringed, quickly shutting the fridge before the menace could grow legs and escape to terrorize Tulsa. "That settles it. I'm taking you two out to lunch." He stated firmly, gently pushing El out of the kitchen before him. He grinned at Moirah and grabbed the picture, heading off to stow it away in Ikes forbidden zone of a closet. He came out, brushing off his hands. "Let's go ladies. I'm gonna starve to death if I stay here." He called out. He offered them each an arm and escorted them out the door.
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Diana opened the door to the studio, ready to call the boys to lunch. *Thump Thump Thump* She closed the door again, not wanting to bother them when they were working. Walker passed her by and back tracked. He kissed her forehead as she stood there waiting for a break in the music. "What are you doing dear?" He asked her. "I'm waiting for the boys to finnish. Their lunch is ready and they need to come wash up to eat." She answered. He nodded. "I see. But really dear, you should just call them, they don't mind and you know it." He said back to her. He opened the door to prove his point. *Thump Thump Thump* Now he shut the door. She gave him a sideways look. Cocking his head he thought for a moment. "It's odd, but that doesn't sound like Zac." He informed her. Her brows knit in puzzlement. "You sure?" She asked. He shrugged. "I dunno for sure, but..." He opened the door once more. *Thump Thump Thump* Then closed it again. "It sounds like Tay." He offered. Her curiosity taking hold she opened the door herself once more, this time going through it. Walker followed her into the studio to confirm their suspicions. *Thump Thump Thump* They looked at each other. It was Taylor behind the drums, the steady *Thump* of the bass pumping out. Together they stepped up infront of Ike so he could see that they had entered the room. He stopped playing and waited for Tay to get the hint. His eyes were closed and it took him a minute or so to realize that his brother's guitar was now silent. He opened his eyes to find out what had stopped the session. His parents greeted him with a puzzled look from each of them. He grinned a bit, almost shyly as he was want to do when he knew he had to lie to his parents. "Umm... I'll be right back. I really gotta pee." He piped up, gaining a sharp look from Ike as he left the room and left the task to his brother to explain just what the hell was up. Diana was the first to ask. "So where's Zac?" A simple question really, why was he sweating so hard trying to come up with an answer for that then? "He uhh... he uhh... he went out." He stumbled over the words, getting up to replace his beloved Cherryl in her case. Anything for a distraction he thought. "Out?" His father asked. Ike fiddled with the various amps and cords. "Mhmm." He answered back. "Where?" His mother querried. He busied himself with picking up the forgotten drumsticks. "Uh... he uh... he went out for lunch." He strung together quickly, going over to shut off the keyboards. "I see. With Moirah?" His father asked. "Yeah, oh yeah, with Moirah." Ike rushed out, trying his best to make it look like he knew that all along. Well he was with her, so it wasn't really a lie. "When? I didn't see him leave, and he usually tells me when he's not going to be home for lunch." His mother pointed out. Oh crap. He started picking up the scattered notes and scraps of songs they had been tinkering with. "Well uh... he uh... he was talking and... and he uh... he must have forgot. Sorry Ma, you know how he is when he's with her. Everything else disappears, even when he's just talking about her." He grinned. Pleased with his jonny on the spot answer. "Oh, well... in that case..." She pondered. She knew something was fishy, but she really couldn't prove it, so she let it drop. Sure that the boys would come to her if there were any sort of trouble, she left the situation open ended. "Come on for lunch, you should eat it before it gets cold." She called, heading back to the door to exit. She met up with Tay, who had been eavesdropping unbeknownst to them all but Ike who suspected. He kissed his mother sweetly on the cheek. "So what's for lunch Ma?" He asked in his most practiced carefree tone. She looked at him as he went to help his brother pick up a few last pieces of paper and put them away. She saw the shared look between them and she had to bite her tongue to ask what she was dieing to find out. "Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Now come and eat before it's all gone." She said, an undercurrent of unease in her voice. She followed a silent Walker out of the room and closed the door behind herself. He turned and looked at her. "Somethings up." He toned seriously. "I know. Leave it for now. When they're ready, they'll come to us." She answered back. "You sure?" He asked. She nodded and led him off to his lunch.
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Moirah slid across the seat, swinging her legs out the door. Why did it look like such a long way down? Zac just stepped out, El hopped down with ease. Zac laughed at her. "Come on short stuff." He held out his hand to her. She pouted at him making him laugh harder. He ignored her huff as she crossed her arms over her chest, he just grasped her around the waist and set her on the ground next to him. She slapped his shoulder. "It's not funny! Why do you have to drive a monster truck?" She comicly whined. He grabbed her, drawing her to him in a frolicking embrace. "Dear, it's just a truck. Monster trucks are way bigger." He cooed to her. She smiled up at him, melting under his sizzling gaze. "You're just really short!" He teased. Her mouth dropped open then a grin errupted as he tickled her and laughed. "You are so gonna get it later. You're so mean! Why do I even love you?" She teased back. "Cuz I'm irresistable?" He offered. She tapped her chin in a dramatic pause of thought. "That could be it!" She sang out. They laughed and headed off to join El who had been standing in the parking lot waiting for them, shaking her head with a wide grin of her own. Once more he offered an arm to each lady and escorted them through the door. The hostess smiled stiffly at the trio. "Table for three?" She asked needlessly. "You bet." Zac joked. He knew the woman didn't think very highly of him and he was going to have some fun with it while he could. The threesome followed the hostess into the dining room. She gestured to a table in the center of the room, a fake grin fixed on her face. Zac stood tall and draped an arm over each womans shoulders at his sides. "I'm sorry, that really isn't going to do. Could we possibly get a better table please?" He asked ever so politely. Moirah shot him a glance and saw the mischief in his eyes. She stifled a giggle and tried to keep a straight face as she locked eyes with Elouise. She too knew what he was up to and why. She was more than willing to go along with it just for the sake of fun, if not to teach the woman a thing or two. The womans facade faltered briefly but she recovered like a pro. "Certainly sir. What would you like for accomadations?" She asked, sickeningly sweet. He grinned at her. "I dunno, smoking section, corner booth, out of sight." He said, a suggestive lilt in his voice as he eyed Moirah lewdly, at the same time as sliding his arm around El's waist, drawing her to his side tightly. Moirah played the game, batting her eyelashes and licking her lips. El draped herself over his shoulder, leaning into him so she was hanging off him. The woman was startled momentarily and tried to gain her voice. She cleared her throat twice before she got the words out. "Of course Mr. Hanson. Right away." She breathed out. His smirk was subtle and went un-noticed by the hostess but Moirah caught it easily for they were looking each other in the eyes. She could read his thoughts almost. She decided to push the envelope a bit further, wanting to make him laugh about this later. She slipped from out of his embrace and tugged El away from him. She whispered in her ear. "Just play along." And El grinned at her when Moirah pressed her forehead to hers. She tried not to giggle when Moirah wrapped her arms around her and once more whispered in her ear, making it appear almost sexy. "Watch her face and follow me to the ladies room." Moirah pulled El along towards the lounge area to the entrence of the ladies room. She stopped briefly and both women looked at each other before they each gave Zac a peck on each cheek. "Be right back." El purred as Moirah stroked his jaw. His grin widened at this new twist and he nodded and turned his attention back to the hostees who was now openly stunned. "They'll be right back." He smiled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Now, about that table?" He coaxed her out of her catatonic state. She shook her head and stumbled over the words. "Certainly, sorry. Right this way." She led him to a table fitting the description he had specified. She waited for him to sit before she adressed him once more. "Everything ok now?" She asked, a worried look hiding behind her pasted on smile. He let his gaze wander over her body as if he were checking her out, just to get her goat. He licked his lips and stared up at her, a steamy air to his being. "I suppose so, for now." She forced her grin to widen and he could see it as more of a grimmace. She turned to go and he patted her ass for good measure. Her head whipped around and he grinned cheekily at her, gave her a wink and a slight nod of his head. Her heavy breathing accompainied a shocked and confused look. She backed away from him and hurred out of the room as if her life depended on it. A moment later the two women came back and slid into the booth on each side of him. "You are so naughty." Moirah whispered and kissed him. He grinned down at her. "And you're not?" She returned his mirth, shrugging. "I just thought it was wrong of her to make assumptions. Maybe next time she will think twice." She answered. He nodded, a sly grin appearing. She tilted her head and laughed. "You're not done with her yet are you?" He shook his head. El chuckled. "Let the games begin!" She announced.
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Shortly a waitress came over to the table and stood, almost afraid of the group. Zac smiled genuinely at her. Certain that the hostess had bad mouthed him and told the girl to watch out for him. He wanted to make a different impression on this girl just to drive the hostess nuts. "Hi, I'm Samantha. I'll be your waitress for today. What can I get you? A drink perhaps?" The girl reeled off, setting menus before them all. Her practiced little speech hardly wavered but her eyes told a different story. Somehow, from her mannor he got the impression that she was a fan. This was a perfect opportunity to give the game a good shove. "Hey. Umm I don't really know yet." He offered back to her, a tone in his voice most accomadating. Moirah shifted her glance and caught on. Even El slid over imperceptively away from him a bit. Zac turned to Moirah. The sweetest lilt in his voice. "Honey? Do you know what you want?" He asked, gently taking her hand almost shyly. Moirah smiled at him, shaking her head. "No, not yet. You El?" She said, tossing the conversation over to the other woman. El smiled at the waitress. "Sorry, no. Me either. I guess you'll just have to give my friend, my brother and I a bit of time. Promise we won't take long." She told the woman. The waitress was a bit confused but did her best to smile, nod, and leave them to look over the menus. Zac watched her go and noticed she went straight to the hostess who was watching from the kitchen door. He smiled discretely and turned his head to speak to Moirah. "Can you see them?" He asked. She grinned at him, nodding as she pretended to be talking to him and smoothing his hair from his face she told him what she saw. "The first one's jaw is on the floor. The second one's standing there with her hands on her hips. I think you really stirred her up." She laughed softly. El leaned across the table some and whispered to them both. "Did you see the look on her face when we walked away to go to the ladies room? I thought she was gonna have a cow right there!" Her laugh grew to full size after her whisper. Moirah stifled her joining giggle and sat up straighter. "She's comming! The first one is headed this way!" She informed them. Zac got a malicious grin on and turned to El as if he were naturally about to speak to her. He took up her hand, nuzzling it before kissing her fingertips just as the hostess came up to the table. The look in his eye almost made El blush. If she didn't know what the scheme was she would have blushed for sure. The hostess cleared her throat. "Is everything satisfactory?" She said, almost through gritted teeth that closely resembled a manufactured smile. For the sake of show he licked the inside of El's wrist once, quickly, and turned his head to the woman standing. He nibbled on El's finger, sucking it into his mouth briefly letting it pop slightly when he withdrew it. He smiled slyly at the hostess and acknowledged her. "Most certainly. Thank you." He purred, raking his eyes over her frame blatantly once more. She stiffened and shot a glance over to the waitress. Zac knew that the other woman couldn't see what he was doing to El's hand and grinned at the mental thought of the conversation the two women would have later on over this. "Very well then. If you need anything I'm sure Samantha will be at your table shortly." She spouted off and left, almost in a huff. Immediately Zac dropped El's hand and grinned. "I can't believe you kept a straight face through that!" He whispered to El. She grinned at him. "You deserve a freak'n oscar for that little preformance Zachary!" She teased, shoving his shoulder playfully. He sat up and stretched his legs out before him under the table, clasping his hands behind his head as he leaned back. A satisfied grin gracing his face. "I did huh? Well I thought you deserved best supporting actress then, cuz you should have seen yourself. She did good huh baby?" He laughed asking Moirah to throw in her two cents. She gently poked him in the tummy, making him flinch. "I can't believe you did that! Where did that come from? My gawd, if I hadn't known better I would have believed it too!" She laughed. El picked up her menu. "I thought you were starved mister." She directed at Zac. He smiled over at her and nodded. "I am, I suppose I should peruse the menu before we get kicked outta here." He laughed picking up his own menu. Moirah's soft laugh rang out and she too looked over her menu. Zac had decided what he wanted and placed his menu back on the table away from him where it would be easy to reach for the waitres. He noticed the waitress returning and decided to have a bit more fun. "So El, have you and Ike found a reception hall yet? He said something about finding a chruch, but had to make another call." He spoke to El, loud enough for the waitress to hear him even before she came up to their table. El smiled at him, knowing that the waitress must be walking up behind her towards them. She nodded her head as she returned the ball to his court. "Oh yes, we found a church. But the reception needs to be in a large hall and we have been having trouble finding one large enough that is free on the day we want. I swear this wedding is driving me to drink!" She laughed good naturedly. The waitress heard every last word of it, he was sure. He patted El's hand. "It's ok sis, I know you will find the perfect place. After all, marrying my brother is not going to be easy but you seem to be handling it all like a breeze." He said genuinely. She smiled at him, knowing that even though the words he spoke were for the benifit of the game, they were all truely from his heart and he meant every ounce of sentiment behind them. "Why thank you Zachary. That means the world to me to hear you say that." She offered back to him, squeezing his hand affectionately. He grinned back then turned his attention to the waitress.
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They placed their orders and settled into a quiet conversation but still kept an eye out for the hostess, if she were to return, the game would resume immediately. Samantha, the waitress, was more than attentive during their meal. She practicly went out of her way to tend to them. Now Zac knew for sure that she was a fan. He didn't really like using her to prove a point to the hostess, but he was pretty sure that she, being a fan, would understand his reasons when he tallied the score of the game. She came to remove their plates and returned shortly with their desserts when Zac adressed her. "Samantha." He spoke, gaining her attention quickly for it was the first time he had used her name and he saw her smile widen and a dreamy look washed over her eyes. He held back his chuckle over the effect that a simple action could hold over a grown woman. "Could you possibly arrange for us to gain an audience with the hostess before we leave?" He querried. The girl looked a bit uncomfortable but nodded in agreement anyway. "Thank you. You've been great." He threw at her. Her grin returned and she trotted off on her way. "Now what do you have up your sleeve?" El asked him. He patted her arm. "Oh don't worry. Game's over, time to face the opponents and find out the score." He said. El chuckled and Moirah laughed too. They polished off their meal and sat sipping their drinks waiting for the inevitable. Zac couldn't wait to see her face. He wasn't really ignoreing El, but he just couldn't keep his attention from wandering over to Moirah. He sat with his elbow on the table and his chin propped up in his hand gazing at her as she spoke. The fingers of his other hand gently sifting through the curls of her long auburn hair that she had decided to wear down and loose today. He liked her hair like that and his smile showed it. "Excuse me." A voice interrupted his daydreaming. He sat up and turned to the mystery person. "Jack! How are you?!" He grinned, sticking out his hand to his friend. Jack grinned back, taking Zac's hand for a brief grip resembling a shake. "What are you up to Zac?" Jack asked, pulling up a chair to sit with them. Zac shrugged. "I'm just home for a while. I was out doing errands and decided to take two lovely ladies out to lunch. You remember Ike's fiance, El, don't you?" Jack nodded and smiled at the woman. "And this is my girlfriend, Moirah O'Hara. Moirah, this is Jack Stuben, a friend of the family's, he owns part of this resteraunt." Zac introduced the two. Jack shook her hand and gave her a smile. "Pleased to meet you Miss." He said politely. She smiled back. "Charmed, I'm sure." She replied. The pleasentries over Jack eyed Zac with a certain familiar gleem. "I meant Zac, what are you up to with Delilah?" Jack accused. Zac looked confused and the puzzled look on his face made Jack chuckle. "My hostess...?" He offered. A light went off over Zac's head. "Oh! Sorry dude... I didn't know her name. Umm... nothing much. Just a little game to show her the path to enlightenment." He chuckled. Jack got a scolding tone in his voice but he still laughed. "Dude, you messed with her head so bad! She threatened to leave me!" He laughed. Zac laughed with him. "Well it's her own fault. I only walked in with a lady on each arm and she got all high and mighty. I knew she knew who I was and right away she started making assumptions. You know I had to do it. Besides, you can always get another hostess." Zac explained. Jack just laughed and shook his head. "Um... I understand about all that and stuff, and I don't really blame you for trying to teach her a lesson... but man, she aint just my hostess. She's my girlfriend too." Jack revealed. Zac groaned loudly and they all laughed at his perdicament. "I'm an ass." He stated matter of factly. They all laughed even harder at him. Jack broke the spell and started the conversation once more. "It's ok Zac. Really, I'm sure she'll understand when I talk her down. She has some temper though, she's Italian you know." He said. Zac shook his head. "If I had known, you know I never would have done that shit man. I'm so sorry! Please, talk to her and calm her down so I can appologize. I don't want to leave here with her still mad at me... or you either for that matter." Zac pleaded. Jack stood up and smiled at him. "Don't worry about it Zac. I know you had good intentions at heart. I think she was just as much at fault. She knew that I knew you and she hasn't ever met any of you. But I gotta tell you, the last time someone so called famous came in here... well let's just say it was a nightmare. I think it left a bad taste in her mouth and she was projecting that experience onto you." Jack tried to soothe Zac's embarressment. Zac sighed. "Still, I am really sorry man. I'll understand if she never forgives me, I just want the chance to appologize is all." He offered. Jack nodded and gave him a sympathetic smile. With a wave he went off in search of Zac's latest victom. "Oh man..." Zac groaned again, burrying his head in his folded arms on the table. El laughed softly. "Come on Zac. It's not the end of the world. He even said he didn't blame you." She tried to cheer him up. He peeked out from under his hair and eyed her. "But I blame me." He said mournfully. Moirah pushed his hair away from his face and stroked the back of his head. "Zac, we're just as guilty as you are. Come on now, she was rude and she deserved to be knocked down a peg or two." Moirah pointed out. He sat up and looked at her, an uncertain look on his face. "But..." He started. "No buts." She stated firmly. "So your methods are unconventional. They are effective." She said, they all laughed a bit. "I suppose." He began, still wary about the confrontation to come.
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Samantha came back handing over the bill. He gave her his card and she gave him a sympathetic smile before she left. He was pretty miserable, but when Jack headed towards them, Delilah in tow, he was almost inconsolable. Moirah felt the air chill in emotion and watched as his body stiffened. He moved toward her in silent plea to be let out of his confinement. She slipped out of the booth and stepped back to make room for his exit. He stood, taking a step forward to greet Jack and Delilah in sincere appology. Delilah stared at him stonily. "I'm sorry, I made an ass of myself and I was mean to you. I acted childish. Believe me, I'm quite ashamed of myself right now." He toned softly with firm conviction in his voice. She still stared at him icily. He sighed, looking toward Jack for help. Jack shrugged. Moirah's heart sank when she saw his shoulders slump as she stood behind him. His demeaner was so defeated that it broke her heart. Determined to support him, for she felt that his intentions were perfectly acceptable, she stepped up beside him and grasped his hand in hers. A quick glance down at her he gave her a wavering smile in thanks. She returned the gesture and directed her focus on the pair who had yet to speak. "Look, I know we shouldn't have done what we did, but you have to at least admit that you provoked it." Moirah spoke up, trying to clear his name. Delilah narrowed her eyes at her sniffing haughtily. Jack turned to her and scowled. "De! Really now, they are good people, they are being nice enough to appologize and they are sincerely sorry. I've known Zac since he was a kid. He's a good guy and you jumped to conclusions about him just because he's well known. Not every famous person is a lecherous ass. Honey please, at least just say you understand why he pulled that on you. Besides, if you knew Zac's sense of humor you'd understand anyway, but, if you don't make the effort to get to know him it's a great loss for you. The Hansons have been friends with my family for years. Even before the band went worldwide. Now would I stay friends with people who were less than savory? Even if they are public figures they are good people. Zac was just egging you on because you were an easy mark and he wanted to prove a point to you." Jack went on, beseeching Delilah to accept Zac's humble appology. She sighed huffily. "I don't know why I should, you were down right cruel." She pouted. Zac took a deep breath ready to give it one last shot. "Please Delilah. I'm sorry for what I did. It's just that for years people think they know all about me when they've never even met me. I just get tired of the accusations and assumptions when I've done nothing to provoke them. Please, try to understand even if you don't accept my appology at least just say you understand." He pleaded. "Please Delilah, we're honestly sorry." Moirah backed him up. Delilah crossed her arms over her chest, pouting still, she sighed. She looked at them sideways for a moment. "I suppose I was asking for it huh?" She said, a tiny smile breaking through her cold stance. Zac's face broke out into a big grin. "I can't thank you enough Delilah. I know I'm a handful sometimes but I really had no idea I hurt you so much. I promise to behave from now on ok?" Zac gushed. She nodded, a smirk grew on her lips. "And I'll even forgive you for gropping me." She laughed. Zac blushed and had a hard time meeting Jacks eyes until he heard Jack's laughter. "You did that?! Man, I'm surprized she didn't slap you!" He roared. Zac just blushed harder. Samantha took it that things were settled and brought his card over with the reciept to sign. She held out the tray to him and he accepted it, balancing it against his ribs as he signed while standing there. He reached on the table and snatched up a paper napkin, quickly scrawling something, leaving it on the tray, he handed it back to Samantha with a large smile. She took it and walked away but he noticed her stop when she saw the napkin. She picked it up and he knew that she was reading; 'Samantha- thanks- Zac Hanson.' She turned a bit and smiled to him over her shoulder a some. He grinned back at her before she headed on her way.
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Elouise cleared her throat as she stood up and spoke for the first time since the scene had gotten tense. "Well, I hate to be a party pooper and all, but I really need to get back to Ike's to pick up my car. I have a class soon and I really can't afford to miss taking this test." She announced. All eyes on her now she smiled back. Zac felt better now having the burdon lifted from his shoulders, he was ready to leave now and try to put this all behind him. "Jack, I'm glad to see you again, thanks for introducing me to your new girlfriend." He smirked and gained chuckles from everyone in the group. He gave Delilah a cheeky grin and reached out his hand formally. She took it graciously, relieving Zac when he saw her genuine smile. "I'm sure I won't be forgetting meeting you anytime soon." She said laughing. He rolled his eyes as they let go hands. "Well, at least let me properly introduce you." He said quickly, turning toward El. "Delilah, this is my future sister in law. She and Ike have been together so long now she already is family. Elouise Harris." He said in presentation. The two women smiled politely as they shook hands. "Delilah Rontainey, you're quite a good actress." Delilah grinned. El giggled. "Sorry 'bout that. Zac's a nut but he's a lovable nut. One get's used to him over a period of time." El teased. Zac chuckled and put his arm around Moirah's shoulders. "And this is my girlfriend, Moirah O'Hara." He stated proudly, chest puffed and an easy grin on. Delilah took in a breath, automaticly extending her hand to the woman. "Thee Moirah O'Hara? The artist?" She asked. Moirah nodded. "The one and the same!" Zac piped up. "Wow!" Exclaimed Delilah. "My grandfather has one of your paintings in his bank. You're good." She stated as if it were a fact instead of a compliment. Moirah smiled graciously, slipping her hand around Zac's waist. "Thank you." She said simply in acceptance of what she thought a great compliment. Jack laced his fingers with Delilahs and addressed the group. "Well, now that we're all friends..." He laughed, everyone else following suit. "Glad you stopped by Zac. Good to see you home again. Say hello to the family for me won't you?" He offered, clapping Zac on the back as they all headed toward the door. "Yeah, good seeing you too man. Hey! Why don't you and Delilah join us on Saturday?" Zac added. "Saturday?" Jack urged for clarification. Zac grinned as he leaned in to whisper. The other patrons watching every move now that he was standing in the main diningroom again. "Saturday we're throwing a surprize anniversary party for Mom and Dad. I'll have Jennifer give you a ring and she'll fill you in. We'd be pleased if you both could come." He offered. Jack looked to Delilah momentarily and she shrugged. He turned back to Zac and smiled. "Be glad to my man. See you there then." He announced with one last handshake. "Good! Good. Until Saturday then." Zac replied and escorted the two ladies out, the way he'd entered with them, one on each arm.
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"Well, that was fun." Moirah said as she watched El's car disapear around the corner down the end of the street. Zac looked down at her as he tightened his grip around her waist. "Oh sure, I'm glad you enjoyed my embarrassment." He chuckled. She shoved him with her shoulder jovialy and walked out of his embrace, back towards the truck. She opened the door and turned around to look at him. "Are you comming or are you going to stand there all day day-dreaming?" She teased. He turned to her, a grin growing. He shook his head and watched her climb up into the truck. He would have helped her, but it was so much more fun watching. She hung out the open window and looked at him cockeyed. "You know, you make a great lawn jockey." She laughed. He snorted in merriment and came around the front of the truck to climb in himself. He buckled his seatbelt with out a word and started the engine, all with a straight face. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop. In silence they drove and she started to get antsy. She wondered if she had offended him in some odd way that only his peculiar sense of reality would understand. "Zac...?" She said softly. He turned to her briefly, utter placidity graced his face. "Did... did I do something? Say something wrong?" She gingerly asked. He didn't answer for a while, she sat and stewed, wanting nothing more than to chew her fingernail. He turned down the street that led them to his old house. "No." He stated unemotionaly. She didn't believe him. She pressed further, cautiously. "Are... are you sure? You seem awefully quiet all of a sudden." She pointed out. Again, he just drove without a sound or a glance her way until the sound of the turn signal permeated the thickness of the air in the cab. He turned into the drive. She was almost too afraid to breathe too loud for fear that it would set off a chain reaction to something she cared not to take part in. He reached to turn the key and again there was silence. The anticipation was almost more than her sanity could bear. Without looking he said once more. "No." Simply and without further explanation. He reached for the door handle, she was almost holding her breath as her mind whirred in thought as to why his mood had taken such a drastic turn. He stepped to the ground, turning as he shut the truck door. He leaned in and looked to her. A serene face was held for her and she was too distracted to notice anything else. With a sudden burst of energy his grin sizzled across his moist lips, mischief reigning in his eyes. He reached in ever so quickly and smacked her gently on the forearm. "Tag! You're it!" He screamed and ran off. Before she could even catch her breath and recover from the smile that hit her face instantly, he was around the corner of the house and out of sight. Her laughter almost making it hard to stay concious she tumbled down out of the truck and hung on until she could right herself on her own legs. When her breath returned, she called out to the top of her lungs. "You can't hide from me Zachary Walker Hanson! I will find you! And when I do, be prepared to pay dearly for your evil ways!" She heard a roar of laughter that quickly died into chortles from the back of the house. She armed herself mentaly and went off in search of her prey. The huntress was on the prowl!
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She sank against the fender of the beast he called transportation. Her eyes darting through the shrubbery and over the darkened shadows cast by the afternoon sun. It was as if a hush had fallen over the entire world for sake of their game alone. She smiled secretly to herself at the thoughts of torture she would inflict upon him when she caught him. And she would catch him alright, it was now the ultimate of goals to her. Quietly she slipped her shoes off and tied up her hair. A russle from the bushes near the garage door sent her eyes in spasm trying to see if he was there ready to pounce on her. Her heart thudded in waiting and she nearly lost her advantage of silence when she pulled back a loud laugh. A neighborhood cat came skulking out from under the greenery. She stuck her tongue out at it childishly then crept up to the corner of the building. With stealth she peered around, her gaze slicing through the yard in rapid fire. She didn't see him anywhere. He was not going to make it easy, she knew that. Pressing herself up to the warm siding she slipped around the corner, eyes peeled for any sign of movement on his part. She figured if he were hiding near the house she could creep up on him, surprize him, and exact her revenge in short order. The only problem with that theory was that there were precious few places to hide so near the house. She tried her best to keep quiet as she circumnavagated the hedges and flowerbeds, peeping behind each one before she moved on. She next came upon a deck with a skirting of lattice. Peering through the fretwork she tried to decipher if there was a possibility that he could in fact hide there. It looked almost too small for a child to hide in. She nixed that idea and moved on quickly, silently. She spied a set of 'steps' nailed to a treetrunk like rungs of a ladder. Her eyes followed them up and beheld a treehouse of medium porportions. It was too obvious a place to be hiding, but he could have hidden there just to throw her off. She wouldn't put anything past him, he was far too devious. She unbuttoned her blouse post haste and lay it over the rail of the back deck leaving her in her camisole. She mounted the first step, testing the strength before commiting to the act. Finding it worthy of holding up she shimmied up the tree and popped her head into the small space within the confines of that magical childrens fortress known as a treehouse. Nothing. She thought quick and hauled herself up into the little room. She stuck her head out of the tiny window to get a birds eye view of the yard and gain a better advantage. Still nothing. Damn, he was good. No fair playing on home turf she thought bitterly to herself. She chuckled softly when she picutred him stumbling and bumbling about the castle she grew up in as they played this game. He would be so lost there for she knew all of the secret hiding nooks and well thought out hidden passages in the maze of rooms and halls. She pulled herself together again and got back to the problem at hand. Where the hell was he? She decided she would have to take a big risk now if she were going to win this time. She wiggled back down the steps and cirled the tree in a single quick route to take a gander at the outskirts of the yard. He still couldn't have gotten far while she was up there. He had to be close. Maybe he was gonna be sneaky and slink off to the front of the house again and hide inside when she wan't looking and watch her from a window until she went slowly insane. Yup, that sounded like a 'Zac' thing to do. She forgot herself and a soft chuckle escaped her. She never even noticed the large looming shadow behind her as she reached for her blouse.
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Before she could even blink she was surrounded by the enemy. Hoisted over a broad shoulder and carted off in a most barbaric way. She kicked and screamed her fool head off the entire time. His grip on her was far too tight for her to wiggle free. She twisted and turned, beating on the brick wall of his back. Nothing would make him release her. She was captured and captured she would stay until he saw fit to do otherwise. "Zachary! Put that poor girl down this instant young man!" They both stopped dead in their tracks. Straining to crane her neck around she looked over her shoulder to see Virginia. She could feel more than hear his chuckle deep in his chest. "And what if I don't?" He challenged. The woman scowled at him as she strode up to him. "You dare to try my temper? Perhaps you have forgotten Christmas of ninteen ninety nine?" She pushed at his chest with a pudgy finger. "You wouldn't dare to do that again." He nearly growled. "Wouldn't I?" Virginia held her ground. "No fair!" He whined as Moirah was gently returned to an upright position. Virgina snatched Moirahs silk blouse from out of his grasp and gently handed it back to the rightful owner. "You just have to know how to handle the uncouth." Virginia said with a wink. Zac laughed heartily, dragging Virginia into a hug as he kissed her cheek none too gently. She pushed at him until he let her go again. She stood tall, smoothing out her clothes and pushing back her hair that had escaped a bit of her upsweep in the tussle to be free of him. Dignity restored she turned to her accoster and pinched his cheek like a great aunt. "You're so cute when you get reprimanded!" He almost choked on his jolly roar. Moirah laughed along as she slipped back into her blouse. "Do I even want to ask what kind of mayhem went on that you are refering to?" She asked Virginia. The older woman merely smiled secretivly and leaned toward her. "I'll have to give you a long list of his offences and punishments to peruse just for a chuckle sometime." She confided. "But for now, come in the house and have a cup of tea. Let the oaf laugh himself silly." Virginia offered. Moirah was surprized that she could even hear the woman over the ruckus he was making. He was weak in the knees with merryment, grasping at the railing to hold himself up. She wondered just what went on that year that could bring back so many a hilarious memory and incompacitate him today. Shaking her head she followed the woman into the house, leaving behind the big baffoon. Even through the closed sliding glass door she could hear him yuking it up. She sat at the kitchen table when Jennifer offered it to her politely, moving a stack of folders off the surface. Virginia bustled around in the cupboards and went about making tea for the three of them. Jennifer leaned on the counter looking out the window into the back yard. "Christmas ninety nine?" She asked without even looking at Virginia. The older woman chortled. "Had to bring out the big ammo." She stated. Moirah pushed back a curtain and she too looked out. He was sitting now on the steps of the deck. His head hanging low and his shoulders still shaking with his dieing laughter. He would occasionaly wipe away a joyous tear and toss his head from side to side. Apparently childhood had been good to him. A tin of cookies was broke out as they waited for the water to heat. This was going to prove to be a most interesting visit. Moirah could tell.
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His breathing returned to normal and once more in the year present he slid the door open. "... and that's when he decided to put exlax in the cookies." Virginia was laughing as she related the story to Moirah of one of his famous antics within the family. He chuckled once more at the memory. He leaned over her chair and kissed the top of her head, eyeing Virginia. "So go on and tell her what you did in return to get me back for them." He urged, slidding into a chair beside of Moirah. He grinned at Jennifer, she had heard the story before. He then turned to Moirah. "They weren't clever enough to come up with something on their own. Oh no, they had to enlist the help of a professional." He chuckled, pointing to Virginia. "Well you my dear are the liscencing board for that aren't you? If I hadn't taken care of you for all of those years I never would have learned every last dirty trick in the book." She complimented back. He leaned over the table and patted her head. "You make me proud grasshopper." They all laughed. "So what happened?" Moirah asked reaching for another cookie. Jennifer poured Zac a glass of milk and set it before him as Virginia pushed the cookie tin towards him. She again took up where she had left off in the 'tale of the ninety nine.' "Well, the boys were livid when the prank was revealed. Of course it was far too late and they were... well they were just not in any shape to be seeking revenge, if you know what I mean." They all had a bit of a giggle over that. Moirah made a mental note to never accept chocolate cookies offered by Zac. She smiled as she sipped her tea and the older woman continued. "I thought that it had to be something rather dramatic, and rather public too for a good measure, just because he was that much of an imp and deserved it. It was close to christmas after all and the last thing Walker and Diana needed was a fueding battle of wits between their angelic army of offspring." Zac chuckled at that one before Virginia went on once more. "With the help of Jessica and Walker himself we set him up and he was in for a rather public preformance." The twinkle in Virginia's eye made Moirah sit up in her chair. She knew the good part was comming up and she didn't want to miss a thing. Virginia leaned in and the air was intense. "They boys were grumbly because of the inconvience of being chained to the house. Last minute shopping was no longer an option for them and so Diana put them to work. They were to help her more in preperation for the upcomming party. Zac here, being the oldest one not house bound was elected to accompany his parents to the stores and be in charge of the littler ones so shopping could get done. Jessica was left behind to man the phones and help the other boys the best she could." Another tiny laugh errupted from Zac and Virginia gave him a warning look then continued. "Anyway, they went to the stores and he being the big brother decided to spoil them and give them icecream sundaes. This was not a good idea. Not only were they messy and sticky, but they all ate far too much and ended up with tummy aches. He took them to the rest room and Avie was sent in to clean up Zoe and he did his best to tidy up Mac. It was getting late and the guests would be arriving shortly after their return if they didn't get back and finnish up getting ready for their company. He went off in search of his parents and nearly lost Avie in the interim. Finally he found them and they all headed back to the parking lot, he holding a very sleepy Zoe. Just as he was about to buckle her into her booster seat... she promptly threw up all over the back of her big brother." Moirah laughed, Zac held up his hand. "Wait, it get's better." He informed her. Virginia continued with a nod from Zac. "It was horrible! All over the back of his coat, down his neck and in his hair, even a streak down the back of one leg." A sublte round of 'ewww' was shared. "Well Walker tried his best to rub him down with snow and get it off, it just wasn't working. Diana cleaned up little Zoe some and got her settled down. Avie threw a blanket over the seat and they all climbed in. The smell was of course too much to bear and they rode all the way home with the windows open to vent some of the stench. Well, on their way home Diana called me to come and help out, relaying all the gory details." "A-ha! The plot thickens!" Moirah giggled out. A sly grin from Virginia and she delved back in. "I rushed over and with Jessica's help we set things up. First, we stripped the bathroom of all the towels, all of them. Then we replaced the shampoo with honey, and a bit of green food color for the festive occasion. Then, we waited. Diana bustled into the house, a green looking Zoe over one shoulder. She had asked me to take over while she tended to the poor little ill one and rushed off to the bathroom downstairs to get her cleaned up. Walker came in with a pale faced Mac and excused himself to take the lad to bed with a bucket. Avie followed to help out and keep him entertained during the party. Then Zac came in... and we all tried not to laugh at his perdicament as he headed straight up the stairs to strip and scrub."
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"Jess listened at the door until she heard the shower running and slipped in to grab his clothes. Her father caught her comming out of the bathroom quiet as a thief. Right away he knew something was up and she of course told him all about what we had set up. Well Walker, being the spitting image of the dickens himself decided to up the ante. He whispered to Jess of his ideas and sent her off to tell me. Well by then a few of the guests had already arrived and been greeted and told the circumstances of their hostes being a.w.o.l. They of course understood and milled about. More guests were on their way into the house, as I could see them parking when Jess came up and whispered into my ear of what her father had told her. I could not hold back the laughter of young Zac finally getting his just desserts and right away told Taylor and Isaac. They of course said it was the best of revenges and went off up the stairs to watch from the best of vantage points if not to participate. Before the next volley of guests came in I halted them and asked them to stand back. I didn't explain to them why, just told them that they would understand in a few moments. Diana came out when she noticed the slight hush over the house and wondered what was going on. I was about to whisper to her of the impending doom to befall our fair hero when Walker gave a tremendous yelp loud enough to wake the long since dead! He started to yell fire! Banging on the door of the bathroom all the while and calling to Zac to vacate the house. Well the poor child was in the midst of 'washing' his hair in green honey when the alarm was sounded but he knew that moments were not to be wasted for his father had sounded frighteningly anxious. With the help of Jessica and the two older boys they all quickly convinced Zac that it was a real threat to his very being if he didn't quickly escape the house that he was by now sure was a towering inferno. He leapt from the shower, not realizing yet that his shampoo... wasn't. But he quickly realized that there were no towels and his clothes had vanished. The cacaphony of shrieks propelled him out the bathroom door as naked as the day he was born and the confusion of three of his siblings and his father pushing him toward the top of the stairs only made matters worse for he was slightly blinded by the green goo dripping down his face. He stumbled down the stairs and I escorted him out the door into the freezing cold weather in a heartbeat. That boy could run I tell you! Chest heaving and teeth chattering he stood for a moment trying to cover what God had given him when he realized.... he had an audience and every last one of them were quiet and not one of them were members of his household. I watched from the door until I slammed the door and locked it behind myself. His wails were heartbreaking enough that his mother took pity on him and offered him her own frilly pink bathrobe when she opened the door to him. Manly or not, he didn't hesitate to don the whispy garment. He stomped up the stairs, glaring and not once did he look anyone in the eye. His bedroom door slammed and we all broke out in cheering laughter." She finnished with a florish of her hand waving in the air. Moirah then let go her pent up humor in a loud burst of a gufaw. She laughed so hard she cried. Now she knew why it took so long for Zac to recover when Virginia mentioned ninety nine. It was the funniest damned thing she had ever heard. The poor dear... no wonder he was derranged! (a.n. lol!)
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