Stained Red Chapter Twenty-Nine
Natalie chewed on her lip as she laid in bed beside Zac. It was her first official day without the children and she almost felt weird even with Zac laying in bed beside her and her unborn child kicking her from inside. Laying a hand on her stomach she sighed and turned to watch Zac who was sleeping beside her.
"You know I can feel you staring," Zac muttered as he opened his eyes to look at Natalie. "Am I just that good to look at when I sleep?"
Natalie rolled her eyes, "Don't get too big of an ego there cowboy," she teased as she shook her head. "I was just busy thinking."
"About how good I look when I sleep?" Zac asked as he smirked and moved closer to Natalie.
Rolling her eyes again Natalie laughed, "No," she said as she leaned over to peck his lips. "The kids and how it's my first official day with them gone so far away from me. I'm usually just used to them being at your mom's house."
"Kate said she'd check on them," Zac told Natalie knowing he had heard the conversation between the two women last night. "I'm sure everything is fine though and if it isn't well Kate will call. She is good like that," he said knowing that Kate was good at calling if something was wrong. She had done it enough to him over the years.
Natalie nodded her head as she sat up in bed, "I hope you are right," she said trying to be hopeful though she did know if something was wrong that Kate would indeed call her. Kate usually told her everything. "Does Kate know about us?" she asked wanting to change the subject from her kids. "I mean I haven't told her but I don't think it's my place to tell her."
Zac went silent at Natalie's question and he took a deep breath as he looked up at the woman whose bed he had been sleeping in most nights now. "No," he answered finally as he shook his head. "I haven't told her about us yet."
"Do you plan too?" Natalie asked as she raised an eyebrow. "Isaac knows and he took it well. Kate may take it well too."
Laughing at the Kate part Zac shook his head, "You honestly think Kate will be okay with us?" he asked as he sat up and looked Natalie in the eyes. "You know how she is and hell she divorced me just because I lied to her about her being my first. She won't take us being together as well as Isaac did."
"You don't really know how she will act until you tell her," Natalie sighed not sure how she felt about keeping Kate in the dark on this. "She deserves to know."
"I know but I don't think now is the time to tell her," Zac said not really wanting to be having this conversation right now.
Natalie ran a hand through her hair, "Then when would be the time to tell her?" she asked as she raised an eyebrow. "When the kids graduate high school?"
"No," Zac answered his tone coming out defensive. "Maybe when Shepherd starts high school though," he joked though he was half serious too.
Shaking her head Natalie wanted to laugh but instead she didn't, "Very funny Zachary," she muttered before standing from the bed. "I don't want to be your secret," she told him knowing she didn't want too and couldn't take being his secret. "And Kate deserves the truth."
Zac just sighed though he could see the point in Natalie's words, "I know," he spoke his voice coming out whiny. "But just..give me some time okay."
"How much time?" Natalie asked as she locked eyes with Zac.
"I don't know," Zac answered honestly as he sighed. This wasn't the conversation he wanted to having especially not this early in the morning. "Do we really have to argue right now?" he asked as he too stood from the bed. "It's only nine-thirty and I really don't wanna argue this early."
Natalie just shook her head at Zac's words, "No we don't," she said as she chewed her lip before thinking over her next words carefully. "But I want you to leave. I can't be with you until you tell Kate the truth Zac. I'm sick of secrets and lies and keeping the truth from people and I really don't want to be your secret."
Feeling as if Natalie had kicked him Zac just looked at her for the longest time but he could tell from her face, just the look on it said it all. She wasn't backing down and so he reached for his clothes and dressed quickly before leaving not even offering her a goodbye or trying tying to argue anymore. He knew arguing wouldn't change things and he really didn't want to tell Kate the truth either at least right now so he guessed that meant for now he'd leave Natalie.
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Hours later Natalie sat on her couch and sighed. She was half regretting the fact that she had sent Zac off and she was also worrying about her children. If Kate had went to check on them she hadn't called yet and Natalie just wanted to know how they were adjusting with being so far away from her.
Picking up the remote she turned the TV on but right as it came on she jumped hearing a knock on her door. Moving from the couch Natalie headed to the door in a hurry knowing it could have been Zac and a part of her hoped it was so she could apologize for this morning and kicking him out because damn it she missed him and they had already spent so much time apart.
Opening the door though she paused when she saw that it wasn't Zac on the other side. Instead it was Taylor.
"Not who you were expecting?" Taylor asked as he raised an eyebrow seeing the look on Natalie's face.
Natalie shook her head no, "Not after the way things went the last time we saw each other."
Taylor nodded remembering that, hell he still had the fading remnants of a black eye from where Zac had punched him. "I'm sorry I was an ass," he apologized knowing he was in the wrong for the things he had said to her as well as the things he had told Isaac the day after but she probably didn't know about that though in this family it was hard to tell because it seemed everyone had big mouths.
"I guess I can forgive you," Natalie said giving him a genuine smile. "But is that all you came here for is to apologize?"
Shaking his head no Taylor looked down before grabbing some papers from his pocket that he had folded up, "I wanted to give you these before I left. It's papers relinquishing my paternal rights to the baby you are pregnant with now. Legally I don't have to do that to Theo because he is still considered Isaac's."
Natalie felt her eyes widen at Taylor's words and as she took the papers from him she frowned, "You don't have to do this. I know we aren't getting along now but we can try to be friends and work something out for the sake of this baby."
"This isn't because I can't get along with you," Taylor sighed knowing his reasons were much more than whatever his relationship with Natalie was like. "I'm a fucking addict who can't even handle something in my life going bad without having to turn to drugs," he frowned as he shook his head. "We have trouble with the label I do drugs..Nikki hurts me and proves she is a bitch I do drugs. I find out the truth about Theo my drug habit gets worse," he sighed as he looked Natalie in the eye. "I'm not a good parental figure and both Theo and that baby need one of those Nat."
Natalie just listened to Taylor and she kept eye contact with him as he finished, "Do you at least want us to tell Theo or me to tell this baby one day who their father is?" she asked as she felt a lump in her throat. She wasn't sure why she was sad about this but she was. She was sad that Taylor felt he was such a horrible parental figure just because he was an addict. Just because he had issues. She had issues too so maybe she should give up her children but she never could..even if one day her issues screwed them up.
"You guys can do whatever you wish to do," Taylor said giving Natalie a tiny smile. It was after that, that he turned to leave the porch.
As Taylor turned to walk away Natalie watched him before raising an eyebrow as a hand went to rest on her stomach, "Where are you going?" she asked watching as he stopped in his track and turned to face her. "You said you wanted to give me the papers signing away your parental rights before you left. Where are you going?"
"Rehab in Florida," Taylor answered as he smiled again. "Hopefully when I come back maybe I will be well enough and maybe Isaac will be back and we can get the band back on track."
"Maybe we can get everything back on track," Natalie mused referring to everyone's relationships. Maybe everyone just needed this time away...well except for her and Zac, she really needed Zac.
Taylor nodded liking that idea, "Yeah, maybe," he agreed before turning back around and finally leaving the porch.
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"So why did you want to talk to me?" Kate asked as she looked at her husband on the computer screen. Tonight was the night he usually skyped with Junia and Shepherd though after he had bid the children goodbye and her mother had ushered them off to get them ready for bed Zac had asked to speak with her. "Is something wrong?"
Zac shook his head, "Nothing is wrong," he said feeling butterflies form in his stomach. "At least not yet," he added in glad that Kate couldn't murder him through the computer though he wouldn't put it past her to fly back long enough to commit murder.
"What do you mean by not yet?" Kate asked as she studied Zac from across the computer screen. "What's going on Zachary?"
Cringing when Kate called him Zachary, Zac looked down taking a few deep breaths, "I'm kind of sort of dating Natalie," he admitted looking back up and waiting for her reaction as he did so.
At Zac's confession Kate felt her mouth drop open and she almost felt like she had been kicked in the gut. She knew she was the one who had started this divorce stuff and she knew she had always accused him of wanting Natalie though at the time she had never known it was Natalie but she really hadn't expected him to move on so fast or what seemed fast to Kate nor had she expected him to move on with Natalie the woman who had always been the invisible elephant in the room whether she had known it or not.
"Congratulations," Kate finally replied her voice coming out more bitter than she expected it too. "How long have you two been a happy couple?" she asked as her eyebrows raised.
"A few days now maybe," Zac replied as he made a face at Kate's tone. She was angry and she'd probably be that way for awhile now. "I..I just figured you deserved to know," he said knowing he had partly told her the truth because he missed Natalie and he knew that was the only way she'd take him back.
Kate glared slightly before shaking her head, "Again, congratulations," she spoke before forcing a smile. "I have to go now though. I..I guess I will see you the next time you speak to the kids," she said before disconnecting the skype call.
Natalie chewed on her lip as she laid in bed beside Zac. It was her first official day without the children and she almost felt weird even with Zac laying in bed beside her and her unborn child kicking her from inside. Laying a hand on her stomach she sighed and turned to watch Zac who was sleeping beside her.
"You know I can feel you staring," Zac muttered as he opened his eyes to look at Natalie. "Am I just that good to look at when I sleep?"
Natalie rolled her eyes, "Don't get too big of an ego there cowboy," she teased as she shook her head. "I was just busy thinking."
"About how good I look when I sleep?" Zac asked as he smirked and moved closer to Natalie.
Rolling her eyes again Natalie laughed, "No," she said as she leaned over to peck his lips. "The kids and how it's my first official day with them gone so far away from me. I'm usually just used to them being at your mom's house."
"Kate said she'd check on them," Zac told Natalie knowing he had heard the conversation between the two women last night. "I'm sure everything is fine though and if it isn't well Kate will call. She is good like that," he said knowing that Kate was good at calling if something was wrong. She had done it enough to him over the years.
Natalie nodded her head as she sat up in bed, "I hope you are right," she said trying to be hopeful though she did know if something was wrong that Kate would indeed call her. Kate usually told her everything. "Does Kate know about us?" she asked wanting to change the subject from her kids. "I mean I haven't told her but I don't think it's my place to tell her."
Zac went silent at Natalie's question and he took a deep breath as he looked up at the woman whose bed he had been sleeping in most nights now. "No," he answered finally as he shook his head. "I haven't told her about us yet."
"Do you plan too?" Natalie asked as she raised an eyebrow. "Isaac knows and he took it well. Kate may take it well too."
Laughing at the Kate part Zac shook his head, "You honestly think Kate will be okay with us?" he asked as he sat up and looked Natalie in the eyes. "You know how she is and hell she divorced me just because I lied to her about her being my first. She won't take us being together as well as Isaac did."
"You don't really know how she will act until you tell her," Natalie sighed not sure how she felt about keeping Kate in the dark on this. "She deserves to know."
"I know but I don't think now is the time to tell her," Zac said not really wanting to be having this conversation right now.
Natalie ran a hand through her hair, "Then when would be the time to tell her?" she asked as she raised an eyebrow. "When the kids graduate high school?"
"No," Zac answered his tone coming out defensive. "Maybe when Shepherd starts high school though," he joked though he was half serious too.
Shaking her head Natalie wanted to laugh but instead she didn't, "Very funny Zachary," she muttered before standing from the bed. "I don't want to be your secret," she told him knowing she didn't want too and couldn't take being his secret. "And Kate deserves the truth."
Zac just sighed though he could see the point in Natalie's words, "I know," he spoke his voice coming out whiny. "But just..give me some time okay."
"How much time?" Natalie asked as she locked eyes with Zac.
"I don't know," Zac answered honestly as he sighed. This wasn't the conversation he wanted to having especially not this early in the morning. "Do we really have to argue right now?" he asked as he too stood from the bed. "It's only nine-thirty and I really don't wanna argue this early."
Natalie just shook her head at Zac's words, "No we don't," she said as she chewed her lip before thinking over her next words carefully. "But I want you to leave. I can't be with you until you tell Kate the truth Zac. I'm sick of secrets and lies and keeping the truth from people and I really don't want to be your secret."
Feeling as if Natalie had kicked him Zac just looked at her for the longest time but he could tell from her face, just the look on it said it all. She wasn't backing down and so he reached for his clothes and dressed quickly before leaving not even offering her a goodbye or trying tying to argue anymore. He knew arguing wouldn't change things and he really didn't want to tell Kate the truth either at least right now so he guessed that meant for now he'd leave Natalie.
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Hours later Natalie sat on her couch and sighed. She was half regretting the fact that she had sent Zac off and she was also worrying about her children. If Kate had went to check on them she hadn't called yet and Natalie just wanted to know how they were adjusting with being so far away from her.
Picking up the remote she turned the TV on but right as it came on she jumped hearing a knock on her door. Moving from the couch Natalie headed to the door in a hurry knowing it could have been Zac and a part of her hoped it was so she could apologize for this morning and kicking him out because damn it she missed him and they had already spent so much time apart.
Opening the door though she paused when she saw that it wasn't Zac on the other side. Instead it was Taylor.
"Not who you were expecting?" Taylor asked as he raised an eyebrow seeing the look on Natalie's face.
Natalie shook her head no, "Not after the way things went the last time we saw each other."
Taylor nodded remembering that, hell he still had the fading remnants of a black eye from where Zac had punched him. "I'm sorry I was an ass," he apologized knowing he was in the wrong for the things he had said to her as well as the things he had told Isaac the day after but she probably didn't know about that though in this family it was hard to tell because it seemed everyone had big mouths.
"I guess I can forgive you," Natalie said giving him a genuine smile. "But is that all you came here for is to apologize?"
Shaking his head no Taylor looked down before grabbing some papers from his pocket that he had folded up, "I wanted to give you these before I left. It's papers relinquishing my paternal rights to the baby you are pregnant with now. Legally I don't have to do that to Theo because he is still considered Isaac's."
Natalie felt her eyes widen at Taylor's words and as she took the papers from him she frowned, "You don't have to do this. I know we aren't getting along now but we can try to be friends and work something out for the sake of this baby."
"This isn't because I can't get along with you," Taylor sighed knowing his reasons were much more than whatever his relationship with Natalie was like. "I'm a fucking addict who can't even handle something in my life going bad without having to turn to drugs," he frowned as he shook his head. "We have trouble with the label I do drugs..Nikki hurts me and proves she is a bitch I do drugs. I find out the truth about Theo my drug habit gets worse," he sighed as he looked Natalie in the eye. "I'm not a good parental figure and both Theo and that baby need one of those Nat."
Natalie just listened to Taylor and she kept eye contact with him as he finished, "Do you at least want us to tell Theo or me to tell this baby one day who their father is?" she asked as she felt a lump in her throat. She wasn't sure why she was sad about this but she was. She was sad that Taylor felt he was such a horrible parental figure just because he was an addict. Just because he had issues. She had issues too so maybe she should give up her children but she never could..even if one day her issues screwed them up.
"You guys can do whatever you wish to do," Taylor said giving Natalie a tiny smile. It was after that, that he turned to leave the porch.
As Taylor turned to walk away Natalie watched him before raising an eyebrow as a hand went to rest on her stomach, "Where are you going?" she asked watching as he stopped in his track and turned to face her. "You said you wanted to give me the papers signing away your parental rights before you left. Where are you going?"
"Rehab in Florida," Taylor answered as he smiled again. "Hopefully when I come back maybe I will be well enough and maybe Isaac will be back and we can get the band back on track."
"Maybe we can get everything back on track," Natalie mused referring to everyone's relationships. Maybe everyone just needed this time away...well except for her and Zac, she really needed Zac.
Taylor nodded liking that idea, "Yeah, maybe," he agreed before turning back around and finally leaving the porch.
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"So why did you want to talk to me?" Kate asked as she looked at her husband on the computer screen. Tonight was the night he usually skyped with Junia and Shepherd though after he had bid the children goodbye and her mother had ushered them off to get them ready for bed Zac had asked to speak with her. "Is something wrong?"
Zac shook his head, "Nothing is wrong," he said feeling butterflies form in his stomach. "At least not yet," he added in glad that Kate couldn't murder him through the computer though he wouldn't put it past her to fly back long enough to commit murder.
"What do you mean by not yet?" Kate asked as she studied Zac from across the computer screen. "What's going on Zachary?"
Cringing when Kate called him Zachary, Zac looked down taking a few deep breaths, "I'm kind of sort of dating Natalie," he admitted looking back up and waiting for her reaction as he did so.
At Zac's confession Kate felt her mouth drop open and she almost felt like she had been kicked in the gut. She knew she was the one who had started this divorce stuff and she knew she had always accused him of wanting Natalie though at the time she had never known it was Natalie but she really hadn't expected him to move on so fast or what seemed fast to Kate nor had she expected him to move on with Natalie the woman who had always been the invisible elephant in the room whether she had known it or not.
"Congratulations," Kate finally replied her voice coming out more bitter than she expected it too. "How long have you two been a happy couple?" she asked as her eyebrows raised.
"A few days now maybe," Zac replied as he made a face at Kate's tone. She was angry and she'd probably be that way for awhile now. "I..I just figured you deserved to know," he said knowing he had partly told her the truth because he missed Natalie and he knew that was the only way she'd take him back.
Kate glared slightly before shaking her head, "Again, congratulations," she spoke before forcing a smile. "I have to go now though. I..I guess I will see you the next time you speak to the kids," she said before disconnecting the skype call.
