"It's alright, Em. I'm just glad you're finally here." He took the whiskey bottle and discreetly handed it to Taylor, who set it on the ground out of her view. "Why don't we take a ride? Then I'll drive you home and bring your car to you in the morning.." he stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. Emma let her head drop back and she laughed, making both Zac and Tay look at each other in confusion. "Em?" Zac tilted her chin to make her look at him, but he wasn't sure she could focus. "What's so funny, babe?" he asked as she tried to get her eyes to focus on him. She giggled again and cupped his face in her hands, planting a wet sloppy kiss on him. "You're sittin' on my HOME, goober. I'm not stepping ONE FOOT back in that apartment. Disowned 'em...got no parents..no rent to pay.." she slurred, "one more night in the hell hole and I am DONE. The slime king can kiss my ass.." she half-slurred, half-giggled. "Emma..." Tay and Zac said at the same time, and looked at each other, both worried. "Em..no way..you're not sleeping in your car again." Zac told her. Taylor's eyes widened as he realized she'd done it before. "Emma...that's not very smart.." Taylor told her. "Shyeah.." she slurred at Tay, running her hand through her hair. "I'm not going to Jen's this time of night..baby's sleepin'. Not gonna even entertain the idea of stayin' HERE.." she pinned Taylor with a look that told him if she wasn't as wasted as she was she probably wouldn't be able to handle being in the same house with him right now, making him look down at the ground.  "BUT I AM NOT...gonna set one foot in the same room with those two..." she left the rest unspoken, mainly because she couldn't think of something suitble to call them at the moment. "You're gonna have to get your stuff, baby.." Zac urged, trying to think of a way to get her to sleep in a safe place. "My stuff?" she looked confused for a moment. "Oh yeah..." she giggled and slid off the hood of her car, landing in front of Taylor with a thud. She swooned and almost fell, but Tay reached out and caught her as Zac slid off the hood behind her. Zac gripped her waist as she threw her arms around Taylor's neck to steady herself. "Shit.." she giggled and looked up at Tay who was grinning at her. "Thanks.." she smiled up at him eyes still unfocused. "Emma you are so wasted, you're not going anywhere without Zac." he told her and reluctantly relinquished her to his brother. His body was warm and he was having trouble keeping his breathing steady, her small body was so close to his and he could feel her soft, warm fingers on his neck. He tried not to think of what it would feel like for her to dig her hands into his hair and kiss him, like she had seen her kiss Zac the other night. Emma let go of him and leaned back against Zac. "Sorry, Tay." she said softly and then looked up at Zac. "What the hell was I doing?" she asked him. Both Zac and Taylor laughed at her confusion. "Zac said something about getting your stuff? You have to go back in the house to get it.." he reminded her. "OH YEAH..." she smiled brightly, ran her hand through her hair and began digging in her skirt and jacket pockets. "What the FUCK did I?.." she muttered, still digging as Tay and Zac laughed out loud. Zac dangled her keys in front of her face, "Lookin' for these, my little surf angel?" Zac teased and wiggled his eyebrows. "Heeeeyyyy...yeah...gimme those.." she giggled, "You sexy hunka drummer.." she stroked Zac's cheek, then kissed it. "Oh good lord, someone gimme a barf bag.." Tay muttered, shaking his head. "No way, Em. No keys for you...you can't even walk...you're fucking crazy if you think I'm gonna give 'em to you." he told her. "Fine then..just open the fucking trunk...I know I can't drive..." she said and kissed his cheek again.

Zac looked at Taylor and handed Emma gently to him. Taylor groaned inwardly as she leaned heavily against him and slipped her arm around his waist. He put his arm around her shoulder as she looked up at him, a pained expression on her face. She glanced quickly at Zac then looked up at Tay. "I'm sorry.." she mouthed. He gave her a slight smile and a quick squeeze on her shoulder. "It's okay.." he mouthed back. Zac was safely behind the open trunk hatch, during this exchange, but brought both of them out of their silent conversation when he exclaimed, "Holy shit, Em. Is this what took you so long?" he asked. Taylor walked Emma around to the back of the car and looked in the trunk. "Damn...is that everything?" Tay asked her, looking down, his arm still around her shoulder. She looked at his hand and then him and nodded. Taylor quickly pushed Emma gently over toward Zac, who automatically slipped his arm around Emma's waist and pulled her to him. Zac looked down at Emma and kissed her forehead. "I said I wasn't going back..I told them I didn't have parents anymore...I meant every word..." she said softly and teetered on her own feet. Both Tay and Zac reached to steady her, afraid she'd fall. "Okay, Em. Then stay here.." Zac told her. "Just tonight." She shook her head, no. "I'll sleep on the beach tonight...I KNOW what I am gonna feel like in the morning and I don't want your parents to see me like that.." she said. "Just drive me, Zac. Tay can follow us and bring you back.." she said. "Jesus Emma! NO. I'm not letting you sleep out there alone..not like this.." he said angrily. "Just wait here a minute.." he stalked into the house leaving her standing alone in the dark with Taylor. She leaned against the car and ran her hands through her hair, then looked at her feet. "You okay now, Emma?" he asked her. "Yeah..I guess.." she answered. "I'm sorry about whatever happened with your parents Emma. I can't even imagine." he told her. She shrugged her shoulders. "Can't get much worse now, can it?" she looked in the direction of the house. "Just tell him..open your mouth and say it..." he began. "Tay?" she asked cautiously. "What?" he waited. "Please tell me what I saw at the bar tonight was my imagination...please.." she ended in a whisper. "Why?" he asked. "Why? Because you're his BROTHER.." she answered. "Because you and Ike are his best friends in the world, Because it's WRONG...because I do LOVE you, Taylor. But not like that." she said and his heart twitsed in his chest, "If things were different...but they're not...and I have a bad feeling, Tay. I'll probably have to disappear...he'll need you." she whispered. "I never wanted to hurt him..." she looked at Taylor with tears in her eyes. "Not in a million years. I never loved anybody like that, never gave a shit what anyone thought of me, including my own mother.." she told him. They both turned their heads to look as they heard the front door open and Zac appeared with a small backpack in his hand. Taylor quickly looked back at Emma. "Don't you do that Emma...don't disappear. Just tell him...tell him.." he said quickly. "If you love him like that, TELL HIM." he said again and met Zac halfway. "I'll let Dad know what happened.." he said and quickly went inside. "Em? What now baby?" he asked when he saw tears in her eyes again. "I was just talking to Tay about the way things are, Zac. I'm fine." she said. "What's in the bag?" she asked. "Change of clothes and stuff. You're not sleeping out there alone." he told her and opened her door, then tossed his bag in the back. He helped her into the car, shut her door and got in on the driver's side. He started the car and headed for the beach.

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