"Thats' what I thought...." Zac spat as Danny laid there, not moving or speaking, just staring. Emma had pulled herself up off the floor and was brushing herself off when Zac noticed her. "I'm sorry babydoll.." he said softly. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Mmhmm..." she nodded and wiped her cheeks. "Let's go outside...okay? It reeks in here..." Zac shot another dirty look at Danny, then put his arm protectively around Emma's shoulder. He started to usher her out of the building ,when he caught Taylor's sudden movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned quickly, in time to see Tay shove Danny back down to the ground before he could sucker punch Zac. "Stay down asshole.." Taylor warned, as Jen took Emma's arm. The four were about to leave the building again, when the crowd behind them moved all at once. Zac turned again to see Danny lunging at him and he steeled himself to punch him in the face, but Emma was quicker. She grabbed another bottle, broke it and used it to slice Danny's side as he dove at Zac. Danny screamed again and fell to the ground, and Emma jumped on him again. "You stupid son-of-a-bitch, you CAN'T win, you can't hurt me anymore and I won't let you hurt Zac either. Move another muscle and I will slit your throat.." she barked angrily, shoving the bottle against his neck and holding his head up by his hair. "You better stay down man.." Bob suddenly appeared from the back of the crowd. "I know the girl, she don't fuck around when it comes to the zacstud..." he chuckled. "Dude, you really are a dumbfuck. She thinks you're trash..get over it." he said as Zac removed Emma from Danny's limp form. "Thanks man.." Zac said as he pulled Emma close to his side. "Yeah..just remind me not to cheat YOU at poker.." he shook his head. they all heard sirens and Taylor groaned. Emma's eyes filled and she all but begged Zac, Tay and Jen to leave without her, but they refused, until Bob decided he would help her handle it, if the rest of them would stay back and out of the way. "I have a rep for this kind of shit anyway, but Emma will be all good for self-defense.." he grinned. "AND YOU OWE ME SO BIG.." he grinned at Emma, who managed a weak smile. They looked on as Emma went along with Bob's story, that she was dancing and Danny tried to attack her, she was only protecting herself. Danny protested loudly, but everyone in the building went along with the story, even Danny's own employees, including Candie, which made Taylor chuckle to After all was said and done, and Danny was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance, Zac handed Tay the keys to his truck. "Just park it at Em's, please." he asked and Tay nodded. "Hey Zac..." Taylor let Zac see the unspoken question in his eyes. "We're cool, Tay." he said and Taylor breathed a sigh of relief, glancing over at his wife who was hugging Emma tightly and rocking her as she sobbed. "Zac..." Emma looked up, her eyes and cheeks sparkling in under the streetlights with fresh tears. He  took her from Jen and held her tightly. "It's ALRIGHT, Emma.." he said. "I promise...I love you, babydoll.." he whispered in her ear and buried his face in her hair. Emma's arms flew around his neck and she clung to him. "Zac...I love you...love you.." she sobbed. "I wanna go home...take me home Zac." "Shhhh.....baby....I will. It's okay...." he soothed. "I love you Emma...I love you." "Are you guys gonna make it home alright?" Tay interrupted quietly, his own eyes glassy with unshed tears. "Yeah.." Zac answered, keeping his face buried in Emma's hair. "Just drop my truck off, okay? Emma will call Jen tomorrow." "Okay.." Jen and Tay answered simultaneously. Jenny kissed the back of Emma's head and Emma reached her hand out to squeeze Jens's, her face still buried in Zac's chest. "I know Emma. I love you too.." she said softly. "And you BETTER call me." she said. "Kay.." Emma's muffled voice answered, then suddenly Taylor and Jenny were gone. "Zac..please...let's go. I wanna go home." she sniffed. "I wanna see you in your chair, smiling and playing the stupid game. I wanna wake up with you next to me. I wanna make you happy. I'm so sorry about all of this.." she wiped her eyes. "First thing, YOU have nothing to be sorry for. You couldn't remember and I don't blame you for wanting to forget. Second, I LOVE YOU." he said forcefully. "I love you even more since Tay told me you 'shot him down'." he grinned widely, making her smile weakly. "Like I'd want him when I have YOU.." she said softly and Zac hugged her tightly. "Third, I brought you something from my trip, but I'm not giving it to you here. Gimme your keys, we're gonna take a little ride first, okay?" he asked and twirled the curl at her cheek around his finger, then stroked her cheek. "We can do anything you want, Zac." she said and cupped his face in her hands. "I'm just glad you're home." She slipped her arms around his waist and ran her hand over his tattoo. "I wish I could have been with you to take care of this, like you did mine." she sighed. "I missed you, too babydoll." he kissed her cheek softly. "Come on, let's take that ride.." he said. "Kay.." she murmured, wiped her cheeks and dug in her pocket for her car keys, then handed them to Zac. He squeezed her hand in his as he took them and kissed her lips softly. She closed her eyes and savored the feel of his lips on hers, and when she let her eyes flutter open again he was smiling down at her.

"Why are we all the way out here, Zac?" she asked. "You love this place.." he grinned at her. "Yeah...but it's a ghost town right now.." she smiled, confused. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat up straighter. "Feel better?" he asked. She been asleep for the last hour. "Yeah..a little. YOU have to be exhausted." she said and squeezed his hand. "I'm alright.." he kissed the back of her hand and kept his hold on it, resting them both on his thigh. He pulled into the dark, deserted parking lot and parked the car. "Let's walk, okay?" he asked. She nodded an started to get out of the car, but Zac was around her side and helping her out before she knew it. "I'm not hurt, Zac.." she said. "Amazingly enough, my head is a little tender and my body is tired.." she told him. "No more Em. I don't wanna remember that either.." he said and pulled her close. "Walk with me.." he whispered. "Okay.." she whispered back and they walked hand in hand out onto the pier in silence. Both smiled to themselves as they remembered that first night, their first date, picturing in their heads the lights, the noise, the people. Zac's heart beat faster as they made their way out past all the closed booths and deserted rides, and he remembered her smiling face, her conatgious laugh, her excitement to share with him her favorite things. Emma sighed and tears filled her eyes yet again, as her thoughts took her back to the night they'd met and realized she'd been in love with him since he'd kissed her cheek and asked for a real date, before trying more than pecking her on the cheek. She squeezed his hand and looked up at him. He smiled down at her and pulled her against his side, then kissed the top of her head, using his other hand to check his pocket and make sure her gift was in there.

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