The next couple of months went by fairly quickly as things got back to normal. Zac, Tay, and Ike got out of the whole scene at Danny's bar the night Emma disappeared with a mild explanation to their parents and the press, stating that Zac was only defending the honor of a female friend who worked behind the bar, the owner was sexually harassing her and Emma made sure to stay behind the brothers and keep her head down, if she was present when the paparazzi was. As that blew over, Zac was elated that he could talk Emma into getting Jack to represent her. Zac had seen her dance in a couple of the new videos aired on MTV, and was amazed. She was beautiful and extremely talented on top of it. He did notice that she chose jobs that let her stay in the shadows of the scenes she was shot in, and he constantly badgered her to take more of the leading dance roles Jack was always offering her. Taylor and Jen were becoming inseparable, and Hannah adored him. Taylor's name was the next one she managed to speak, after Emma's and Tay's chest puffed out so far, anyone watching would have thought Hannah was his very own flesh-and-blood daughter. Emma made things easier for Jen, also, paying daycare costs for her so she could work a nine-to-five regular job, since Jen refused to let Tay contribute to her household funds at all. If he was taking her out, or buying gifts for Hannah, it was different, but verytime he offered to help with rent, or utilities she flatly refused. She WOULD, howevre accept anything Emma offered, Emma being closer than blood family and insisting she was still Hannah's 'father', until whoever Jen chose to marry (probably Tay, Emma thought) legally adopted her "and then it's STILL subject to my approval." Emma teased.Emma's apartment was small and cozy, and she and Zac had picked it out together. It was located almost directly between Jen's place and Zac's, though Zac spent more nights at Emma's than home if he could manage it, and it was close to the beach that she and Zac preferred to surf. She squealed with delight the afternoon Zac showed up on her doorstep, surfboard and a wrapped gift box under his arm. "Get in here!!" she grabbed his wrist and yanked him in the door, making him laugh. "Good way to lose a fin, Em...easy babe.." he chuckled as he tried to manuever himself, the board and the large box inside the tiny apartment. "What did you do?" she giggled. "Buy the whole surfshop?" "Almost.." he grinned. She made a big deal out of looking over the board, that was amazingly similar to the one she'd sold so long ago. "Where did you find this?" she breathed, running her hand over the smooth, brightly colored, design. "It's almost like my old one.." she continued. "Jen helped," he told her, his face breaking into a wide smile as he realized she thought it was perfect. "It's custom, Em. I had the guy change it just a little. Can you see it?" he asked. She saw it just then, at the bottom near the fin. "Zac..." she breathed and he chuckled again, it was the reaction most women would have if you handed them a diamond ring. Her name was drawn in an intricate design, a pair of dance shoes, music notes, and a microphone were included, but cleverly hidden in the letters. She carefully laid it against the wall and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you Zac...it's perfect." she squeezed him hard. "Hey now.." he laughed, "That wasn't everything. You're too easy, Em. Open the box." She did as she was told, surreptitiously watching his face and what she was doing. "God Em.." he rolled his eyes. "I'll be an old man by the time you get the damn thing open." "Oh yeah?" she asked. She gave him a wicked grin and tore the thing open violently. "That better?" she giggled. He laughed and kept smiling as he watched her face.

Emma face fell into an expression of surprise and delight as she moved the inner paper aside. "ZAC!!" she exclaimed, holding up the custom wet suit he'd bought her. It was black, with a wide orage stripe down either side, from the armpit to the end of the leg, and trimmed in orange around the neck. It matched her bright board perfectly. There was a surfboard leash with her name on it, also. Solid black, her name in orange letters. "Zac this is waaay to much baby.." she exclaimed. "No it's not." he grinned, "You should see your face."  She laughed and set the box aside, then threw herself into his lap, covering his face with kisses. He laughed and kissed her lips passionately. "I'd HELP you test it out today.." he began mischeviously, "but.." "But what?" she asked. "My board's not done yet." he answered. "But when I saw yours I HAD to bring it." "Your board?" she grinned widely. "NO way. REALLY?" "Yeah, really. I can't be seen with the hottest betty on the beach," he began in slow California surf-drawl, "on a rented board and worn out wet suit, lookin' like a MAJOR poser.." he laughed. "Good point." she giggled, tugged his ponytail and planted a wet, passionate kiss on him, making his toes curl. "So do we match?" she rolled her eyes praying silently that they didn't. "Oh god!" he laughed out loud. "No..no...NO!!" he stated firmly. "I love you, babe. But I'd never embarass us like THAT. You'll just have to be surprised." he grinned. "Sweet." she kissed him again. "When will yours be ready?" she asked. "Couple days..in time for the weekend." he said. "You're not shooting anything are you?" he asked and she giggled. "Only Jack if he hands me another LEAD role.." she said. "And don't ruin this by nagging me to take it, Zac. I'm perfectly happy with the smaller roles and leyying you be the visible one, okay?" she kissed him thoroughly, making him forget what she was asking him to agree to.

Emma was rudely awakened by her phone ringing next to her head. She moved to answer it, trying hard not to wake Zac, whose heavy arm was hanging limply over her waist. "Hello?" she said softly into the receiver. "Hi, Emma." "Oh..hey Tay. What are you doing up? Zac's still asleep..." "I figured. But I needed to remind him we have a meeting today. He needs to get up. Pre-production on the video..." Taylor answered. "Okay. Want to talk to him? I can wake him up..." she offered. "Nah, it's cool. Just make sure he gets up and he's home by 8:30. You got stuff going on today?" he asked. "Yeah.." she answered. "Photo shoot..." she told him, running a hand through her toussled curls, and sitting up in bed. She smiled when Zac shifted and put his arm around her waist, then pulled her closer to him. She smoothed his hair back off his face. "Why?" she asked Tay. "No reason, Em. Just curious. Jen told me to tell you you better call her this afternoon. She said something about Chinese bamboo torture if you didn't.." he chuckled. "Kay." she giggled. "It's time for the four of us to do something again I think. She's so subtle. I'll call her when I get in." she assured him. "Kay. Make sure Zac gets his ass outta bed and home by 8:30. My mom is already complaining that she's forgotten what we look like." he chuckled. "If you'd stop yapping and hang up the phone I would, you goober." she giggled. "See ya later, Tay." "Bye, Emma..." he laughed and hung up.Emma shook her head, then leaned over and kissed Zac softly on the cheek. "Time to get up, Zac.." she whispered in his ear, then gently sucked his earlobe.. "Mm." he stirred a bit and tightened his fingers on her hip. She chuckled softly. "Zaaaaaaaac..." she licked his earlobe, then breathed softly in his ear. "Mmm..." he rolled toward her and took a soft bite of the skin on her hip, without opening his eyes. She smiled, slid back down to lie next to him and kissed his soft, full lips.

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