| "Thank you, Jessie." he said quietly. I squeezed his hand again and then looked down at Taylor. He smiled up at me and I had to lean down and kiss him. As we parted, he said softly, "I love you, Jess. You are amazing..." I smiled and relaxed back into him as we rode to the airport. About five minutes before we got there a thought occured to me. I looked at Watts, then asked Taylor, "Tay, honey, see if you can grab my cell phone off my belt and hand it to me. I better call Jake.." After playing a short game of Twister without the board, which made everyone laugh, he finally got it and handed it to me. I called Jake and told him what happened at the hotel. "I have a feeling that it will be the same deal at the airport, Jake. I agree with Wattley, someone's causing all this. There are usually a few people with cameras and stuff around, but it's not like they are promoting their own stuff this weekend...crowds like these show up when they are EXPECTED...is there something you can do?" I asked him. "Yeah, Jess..shit! All right...just hang in a minute and don't get out of the cab until you see me, okay?" he said. "Okay, Jakey. Thanks bro." I said and flipped the phone shut. The cab pulled up to the entrance of the airport and sure enough there was a huge crowd. |
| I saw Jake coming and watched for a signal. He was dragging some airport security guards with him. Jake's eyes met mine and he gave a slight shake of his head as if to say, "Not yet.." I looked down at Tay noticing that he caught it too. I groaned. As much as I loved my position on Taylor's lap, it was getting hot and stuffy in the car. Lacey was white as a sheet again and I was worried about her. Zac looked okay, until I noticed that his fingers were laced tightly through Watts'. She was genuinely concerned for him. I could tell from the look that she and I exchanged. "We got this.." I said softly. I looked out the window at Jake and he nodded. "Watts, you and Zac climb out over Tay and me, Jake will get Zac in the building, you stay with him.." she nodded and leaned over me, sliding sideways. She still had Zac by the hand. Taylor and I pasted ourselves to the back of the seat to let them through. Tay shoved the door open and Watts dragged Zac out of the car and handed him off to Jake. She followed him as one of the security guards held the crowd away from the door, "Go, Tay...I'm fine. I will take Lacey. GO." He kissed my cheek and grabbed Ike and dragged him from the car, pushing his way through behind the two guards that were ahead of them. I grabbed Lacey by the shoulders and made her look at me. "Come on Lace, we gotta go. Ike is okay, hon. He's already inside. You ready? Nod at me, Lace." I said. She swallowed and put a death grip on my arm. "Good girl, Lace. Hang on to me. I have you. Don't let go...now nod when you're ready." She swallowed again and nodded once. "Okay, Lace..." I said and drug her out of the car, knowing that the crowd would have thinned some after the guys got inside. Two security guards pushed their way ahead of us, but as one tried to take Lacey she clutched my arm tighter and shrieked, "NOOOOO.." I looked at the guard and yelled, "It's okay. I got her.." and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, ducked my head a little, and ushered her through the door. Once inside safely, I spun Lacey to look at me. "Lacey, Lace...look at me.." I shook her, "look...we're in...LACEY!" she looked in my eyes for a moment and the grabbed me and hugged me. "Oh, Jess..." she was almost sobbing, "You don't know how I hate that..." I hugged her and rubbed her back and rocked her for a moment. Slowly I moved her toward where the others were. "Lacey, I do...I know...it's alright now...look here's Ike, it's alright now." I comforted and handed her to Ike. I looked around and noticed that Zac was sitting on a chair, Watts next to him, still holding his hand. I went to Taylor and hugged him, resting my cheek on his chest. He held me tightly and kissed the top of my head. Jake came walking up, then. "Everybody accounted for?" he grinned. |
| "All here and in one piece.." I said lightly, trying to calm Lacey. "Okay, good." he said and started to organize everyone's things and affairs, including Wattley's. Watts laughed. "Hey, Jess! You ever run out of stuff to keep this guy busy, I might have to hire him. I'll call ya when I'm lookin' for new management.." she teased. I grinned at her. "He's spoken for as far as management's concerned..but if I ever quit, you'll be the first to know." I told her. "Thanks, Jake." Watts told him. "At your service.." he bowed and she giggled. Her flight was announced then and Zac walked a few steps away from us with her. I saw her hand him a slip of paper. He bent down and hugged her, then took her face in his hands and kissed her. The rest of us exchanged amused glances, quickly rearranging our expressions as he returned to us, once she had disappeared. He stood next to me and smiled. I took his hand and squeezed it as he looked at Taylor and grinned. "No bullshit..." was all he said. |
| We waited a few minutes and then Taylor's flight was called. Jake and I walked them all to the gate, Taylor never releasing me from his touch. I said my goodbyes to Zac and Ike, then turned to Lacey and hugged her tightly. "I will see you in a couple days, Lace..then we'll get busy, okay?" I smiled. "Busy is an understatement, Jess." she joked. "But call me when you get in.." "You bet." I kissed her cheek and turned to Taylor. I felt the tears ready to come and felt like a blubbering idiot. I knew I'd see him day after tomorrow, but I couldn't stand to say goodbye to him. He pulled me into his embrace and kissed me, passionately. "Only a couple of days, Jess." he whispered in my ear as I hugged him tightly to me. "Day after tomorrow, baby. And I will call you tonight, I promise." he said. "I know, Tay. But I'll still miss you so much." I said. "Me too, Jess. I love you, baby." he said and kissed me again. "I love you, Tay." I said when our lips finally parted. "Tay? We gotta go.." Zac said quietly, looking at me. Taylor bent his head one more time and kissed me, pulling me close to his body. He rested his forehead on mine and whispered, "I need you Jess. I love you." "I know baby..I love you.." I said as Jake took me from him, gently. I watched tearfully as he disappeared down the corridor, looking back at me, while Jake stood with his arm around my shoulders. I saw one more look exchanged between my brother and Taylor, before Taylor mouthed "I love you." to me one more time. "I love you too." I mouthed back and dropped my head, trying to regain my composure. I wiped my eyes and looked up at Jake, who sighed. "I know, Jess." he said softly, then turned me and guided me toward the gate leading to our impending flight. |