Needless to say, everyone was pretty shell-shocked by Diane's news, but that didn't stop Zac from leaving a brief note at the h.net forums.

"Our mom is having twins!" the note announced. The board was immediately overloaded with good wishes for the family and the health of his new siblings, but Zac just didn't have the time or energy to read them all. Instead he went off in search of Talia.

As he walked slowly down the long hallway, he pondered over how bizarre this situation really was. His best friend Randall from Oklahoma wasn’t much older than he was, and his girlfriend was pregnant.

The thought struck Zac that it was much more likely for his significant other to be pregnant than for his mother to. An image of Bethany cuddling Zoë immediately popped into his head, startling him so much that he held his breath.

Oh, the crush he’d had on Bethany when he was twelve. At the time, he still thought his brothers were insane for mooning the way they did over girls. Who could have imagined that he would be the one to develop a crush on the babysitter?

Bethany had been so careful with his feelings, never making him feel like a stupid kid for liking her. She must have known, had to have known that he worshipped the ground she walked on. But she never hurt him, not until that day she left and never came back…

Zac shook off his thoughts as he spotted Talia running towards nothing in the hotel gym. This was not the time to be thinking about that. This was the time to share something special with his girlfriend.

However, Talia didn’t exactly provide him with the reaction he had been hoping for.

* * * *

It was late when Isaac stepped out of the hotel for a walk. That was probably a good thing, saving him from being mobbed by fans. There were still a couple girls outside, but they had curled up in blankets, fast asleep for the night.

The city was quiet. Isaac walked for some time, just taking in the silence, something he rarely heard anymore. The day’s depression spread over him.

Of course, he was thrilled for his parents. Isaac knew that his mother had always wanted more children, so this was a great thing for them. It was just…. Well…

He missed Joey.

Isaac continued to walk, desperately attempting to block the memories from flowing. Surely, he had done the right thing. He couldn’t offer either Kari or Joey anything. However, that small fact didn’t repress his missing them with all his heart.

A little boy and his parents huddled under a ragged blanket on the street corner. It was difficult for Isaac to pass, but in his heart he knew that there was nothing he could do for them.

He couldn’t help anyone.

A car went screeching around the bend up ahead. Isaac made sure he was far to the right side, in order to stay out of the driver’s path. Muttering something about stupid drivers in any country, he went on his way.

Suddenly, the little boy ran out in the street, after some toy that had rolled that way. Isaac hadn’t even known he was awake. The boy’s parents began screaming in Italian, but without going after him, as if they knew that they couldn’t reach him in time.

The car was heading straight towards him. The little boy froze, like a small deer in the headlights of the oncoming vehicle.

Without thinking, Isaac threw himself after the child, landing hard on the pavement on the opposite side of the street. He landed hard on his left shoulder, cushioning the little boy’s fall with his body.

The parent’s rushed across the street, exclaiming their thanks. Isaac tried to accept with his few Italian words, but eventually just patted them each on the shoulder and walked off.

He had seen Joey in that small boy, and suddenly it was as if Joey was the one in front of that car. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, causing his hands to shake.

Nausea washed over him, making it difficult to breathe, but he still plodded his way back towards the hotel, only one thought in mind.

Joey.

* * * *

“What did you just say?” Zac stared open-mouthed at Talia, unable to believe that those words had just come out of her mouth. Surely she had not just said what he thought she had.

Talia rolled her eyes at him. “You heard me. I don’t understand why your mother’s having another baby. She has seven kids already.”

“Not that part.” Zac felt his hands beginning to tremble with rage. “The last part. What was the last thing you said?”

“I said that if it had been me, I would have gotten an abortion.”

Zac’s hands seemed to take on a mind of their own. Before he realized what he was doing. His right hand had reached out and slapped Talia soundly on her cheek.

She gasped, her fingers gently touching the hand-shaped red mark already forming on her cheek.

His stomach sank. Zac stared in disbelief at his hand. What had he done? He’d just hit his girlfriend. What kind of a monster did that make him?

“Talia, I’m sorry,” he began, reaching out to touch her hand.

She took a step back. “DON’T touch me.”

“I’m so sorry, baby.”

“Just go away.”

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