Written by: Hansongirl

AC MV L

RL 13

Chapter 1...Big bang hit me like a boomerang

-1996-

"Big bang, hit me like a boomerang..." Andria sang softly under her breath as she headed on over to the Hanson residence. "light turns green and blood starts flowing."
Andria could hear laughter coming from the backyard and she smelled smoke. She went around the back and was greeted by laughter, lights, music, and a wonderful aroma of barbecued chicken.
Something jumped on top of her, yelling like a banshee.
"WHOA!" Andria laughed and gently un-hooked Zac’s arms from around her neck. "You scared me there, bro."
Zac grinned. "I meant to do that....Uh oh." The young boy turned around and ran.
Andria felt something cold and wet hit her, and she turned around slowly to come face-to-face with Taylor, who was carrying a squirt gun, and laughing. "Sorry Andria. That was meant to hit Zac."
"Sure it was." Andria said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"I’d run if I were you." Taylor said, looking past Andria’s shoulder, then turning and running.
Another person armed with a squirt gun squirted Andria.
"That’s the second time tonight." Andria’s butt was getting cold and she didn’t like the feel of it.
"Sorry. That was meant to hit Tay." Isaac said.
"I’m sure." Andria murmured.
"Whoop, sorry, gotta go." Isaac ran away from Andria.
This time, Andria didn’t move at all. She knew that the three brothers planned this, and thinking like Taylor, who probably put the whole scheme in gear, she didn’t turn around. Suddenly, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac all jumped out in front of her with squirt guns. Andria ducked, and watched as water flew over her head.
"Uh oh." Isaac said slowly.
"Let’s get outta here." Zac squeaked and grabbed Taylor’s arm and the three boys ran around the side of the house.
Andria turned around and saw a very wet Walker standing in back of her, completely in shock.
"Was that Ike, Tay, and Zac I saw just run back there?" Walker asked.
"Yeah." Andria burst out laughing.
"Up to their old tricks again, huh? Andria, this is the boys’ agent and co-manager, Chris Sabec. Chris, this is Andria." Walker introduced her to Christopher, who smiled.
"Hi."
"Hi." Andria said.
Taylor came back, a silly smile plastered on his face. "Hi Chris. Come on Andria, let’s go get food." He grabbed her hand and led her to the table.
He handed Andria a plate. "Take whatever you want."
Zac was already piling on all sorts of food. "It’s best to try one of everything."
"Sure, Zac." Andria grinned as she scooped some potato salad onto her plate.
"Hi Andria!" Diana waved to Andria.
The four year old Avery padded over to Andria and waved shyly at her. "Hi..."
"Why is everyone saying hi to me?" Andria asked.
"Cuz we all love you!" Zac supplied to answer.
"ANDY GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE!" Isaac ran after Andy, his cousin.
"COME AND GET ME!" Andy laughed, running.
Andria shook her head and laughed. "So, how’s the music goin’?"
Taylor became serious. "That’s what we needed to talk to you about..."
"What’s wrong?" Andria’s heart started pounding in her chest, afraid of what Taylor’s response would be.
"I’ll tell you later." Taylor said, a look of apology on his face as he reached for corn bread.
"No, tell me now." Andria demanded.
Taylor sighed. "I knew this was coming," he set his plate on the picnic table. Andria put her plate down too. "Andria, sit down." Taylor sat down on the bench, and patted the bench with his hand.
Andria meekly sat down. "Ok, now tell me what this all is about."
Taylor grabbed Andria’s shoulders. "Ok, Andria. You know how we’re so committed to this and all and we’ve been trying to get a record deal, right?"
"Yea..." Andria said slowly.
Taylor broke into a grin. "Well, we got the deal by Mercury Records for six CDs!"
"Oh my God, Taylor that’s awesome!" Andria squealed, leaned over and hugged Taylor, excited.
"But..." Taylor dragged out the word, and averted his eyes from Andria’s. "we’re leaving next week to Los Angeles to record our first CD."
Andria’s face fell. "No..."
"I’m sorry, you know how important this is for us." Taylor looked up.
"But why do you have to go to California? Why can’t you stay here?" Andria asked. "You’re my best friend...you’re the only person that understands me. You can’t just take up and leave!" Big bang, hit me like a boomerang.
"Andrie...I’ll be back before you know it. I promise. I’ll email you as much as possible, and call every week." Taylor promised.
"Really?" Andria wiped her eyes hastily with the back of her hand.
"Yeah. It’ll be like I’m not even gone." Taylor grinned.
"But it won’t be the same," Andria murmured. "you’ll get famous and then girls will be all over you. Then, you’ll take up and leave for good and forget all about me."
Taylor burst out laughing. "Andria, that’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard in my life! You know I’m not that kinda person. No matter what happens, I’ll never forget you! You’ve gotta be kidding."
Andria looked dead serious. "It happens all the time. People go after fame and fortune and forget about their old life."
"Andria, you know that’s next to impossible," Taylor grinned, reached over and rumpled Andria’s hair. "you’re my best friend. How can I possibly forget you? I mean, come on, use some common sense here. I’d be incomplete without you. It’s like we’re joined at the hip. Remember? You’re like my sister."
Andria burst out laughing. "Your sister? If I were your sister, that’d make you my big brother."
"Well, it’s only eleven months and four days," Taylor shrugged.
"You counted?" Andria asked.
"Yeah. I was bored one day so I decided to count."

-APRIL-

Taylor called Andria as much as possible, but that was almost an impossible task with the schedule he was on. As the weeks lagged on, the calls started growing less and less until he stopped calling completely.
Andria thought that the nightmare she had formed in her head was becoming reality when the emails stopped coming too.
Night after night, day after day, Andria would stare out her window, waiting for the Hanson van to drive past their house and into their driveway.
Six months have passed and still nothing.
Andria would turn on the television and see the boys she grew up with next door singing ‘Mmmbop’ on TV.
She saw them all over the front covers of magazines and in The Tulsa World.
Andria couldn’t stop seeing them or hearing about them on TV or on the radio.
It was crazy.
Finally, one day while she glanced out the window, she saw the van drive past her house.
They’re home. They’re finally home. But she was scared. So scared.
She thought that now Taylor had fame and fortune, he wouldn’t want her as a friend anymore.
After all, she was the girl-next-door while there were millions upon millions of girls just head-over-heels in love with Taylor.
Andria had seen all the websites that had gone up for him.
So, she didn’t bother to call or go over and say hello. She’d wait for him to call her.

-A Week Later-

"ANDRIA!!!" her mother’s voice interrupted her deep pondering as she gazed out the window.
"What?" Andria yelled back.
"GO GET THE MAIL!"
"Ok!" Andria sighed and tugged on her sneakers, then bounded downstairs and out the door.
She ran down the long, curving driveway and reached into the mailbox, which was crammed full of mail. Damn.
Andria looked through the envelopes, half of which were addressed to Isaac, Taylor, Zac, or all three of them.
She sat down on her driveway with the mail and started to make piles, picking out the ones that belonged to her family, and carefully arranging the mail into small piles each for Isaac, Taylor, Zac, or all three of them.
Finally, Andria realized that she had no choice but to go over to the Hanson residence and put it in their mailbox. Maybe they won’t see me.
Andria walked in with the mail and put it on the counter. "Mom, the mailman gave us mail for the Hansons. I’m gonna go over, ok?"
"Andria, don’t go yet. We’re all going over later anyways to welcome them back," Her mother smiled. "Isn’t that great?"
"Yeah. Great." Andria sighed and put the Hansons’ mail on the counter along with their mail.
Then, she walked upstairs and into her room, sulking.
In her mind, she knew that they were all now obnoxious little twerps. But in her heart, she thought the opposite.

Chapter 2...Change is good...almost

"Andria, you can go up to the boys’ room. A few friends are over." Diana smiled proudly.
"Thanks Miz. Hanson." Andria muttered and walked upstairs.
She heard music and laughter coming from the attic, so she headed upstairs. A few? It’s more like a party up here. She forced herself to smile. "Hey guys."
"Hey Andria! Wu’s up?" Zac grinned at Andria.
"You got taller, twerp." Andria grinned and grabbed Zac, rumpling his hair.
"Hey, watch the hair, watch the hair!" Zac objected.
Andria let go of Zac and her gaze fell on Taylor.
He was talking to a girl she didn’t recognize.
Andria was surprised to see how much Taylor had changed.
She could tell that he grew a good five or six inches and his shoulders had broadened.
He had a killer tan, and she never remembered seeing his eyes so blue or his hair so golden...
Andria shook her head. What’s wrong with me?
"Yeah, you noticed it too, huh?" Isaac came up to Andria, smiling slightly.
Andria nodded. "He changed a lot."
"Yeah, he sure did," Isaac murmured. "and so did you."
"A good change or a bad change?" Andria couldn’t help but ask.
"Definitely good." Isaac grinned as Andria blushed.
"Thanks Ike." She squeaked out.
"Well?" Isaac asked after a moment’s pause.
"What?" Andria asked.
"Aren’t you gonna go say hi to Tay?" Isaac asked.
Andria shrugged. "Maybe later....how much did he change?"
"Look at him and you decide." Isaac shrugged.
"No I mean, is he still the same old boy-next-door Tay?" Andria asked.
"Pretty much, yeah," Isaac grinned. "Don’t worry, he didn’t forget about you."
His comment made her laugh.

Taylor’s eyes kept wandering off Kailee, the girl he was talking to, to Andria.
She had changed so much over the months he had been away.
Taylor never remembered seeing Andria’s hair so long and silky, such a golden blonde with the tiniest tint of brown...or her blue eyes so mysterious, tinged with green and gray.
She had a golden tan, and her body was more curvaceous than Taylor remembered.
Taylor shook his head to clear his thoughts. What’s wrong with me?
"Tay?" Kailee asked. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing. I just...nothing." Taylor averted his eyes from Kailee, then looked back up at her.
"Ok," Kailee said slowly.
Taylor’s eyes wandered off Kailee again and back to Andria.
This time, Kailee followed his gaze. "Who’s that girl?"
"She’s my best friend...or used to be. I don’t know anymore. We haven’t talked in a while." Taylor sighed.
"You should go say hi to her."
"No, I think that’s a bad idea." Taylor objected.
"Why?" Kailee asked.
"Because..." Taylor trailed off. "there really isn’t a reason, I guess."
"Well, then, you should go for it." Kailee said, giving him a tiny push.

"I think you should go say hi to him at least. You have no idea how much he’s been talking about you." Isaac laughed.
"He has?" Andria asked hopefully.
"Every day. Every hour...no make that minute, the name ‘Andria’ comes up. It’s crazy." Isaac chuckled.
The girl that Taylor was talking to, who Andria didn’t recognize, came up to Isaac and whispered something into his ear, glancing at Andria.
Andria felt uncomfortable.
"Tay, Ike has to talk to you." Kailee said, pulling Taylor up.
"For?" Taylor asked.
"I dunno he just told me to come and get you." Kailee tugged Taylor towards Isaac’s direction.
"Who was that girl?" Andria asked.
"Kailee. She’s Andy’s friend." Isaac grinned.
"Oh." Andria said.
Taylor and Kailee approached Andria and Isaac.
"Ok, Ike, did you need to talk to me?" Taylor asked.
"No, but Andria here does." Isaac grinned, and slapped Kailee a high-five.
Taylor’s eyes widened. "Kailee..."
"Sorry, man." Kailee laughed.
"I think they need to talk alone. Lets go." Isaac and Kailee walked away from Taylor and Andria, laughing about their master scheme.
"Let’s get them back." Taylor finally broke the silence.
Andria burst out laughing. It was the same old Taylor...just with a different appearance. "You have no idea how much I missed you."
"Same here." Taylor smiled a little.
Andria took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Taylor in a tight hug. "Well, now that you’re back, we need to talk."
"Yes we do."

"You look so different." Andria told Taylor.
"Yeah, you do too," Taylor murmured, then changed the subject. "It was really hard work, recording the album. I mean, you have no idea."
"Tedious, huh?" Andria smiled slightly.
"Definitely." Taylor grinned.
The subject wandered back to how much they’ve changed.
"I really doubt I’d be able to beat you up. You were such a scrawny, skinny little bag of skin and bones..." Andria laughed.
Taylor blushed, grinning. "You probably still can. I wouldn’t hit you, and you took advantage of that. You know I don’t hit girls."
"Yea, you don’t hit girls, and you don’t hit on them either. You wait for them to hit on you. That’s how things always were. That’s why you don’t know about dating and stuff." Andria laughed.
"Hey, you shouldn’t talk. You’re just as bad as I am," Taylor defended himself. "besides, I haven’t found the right girl yet."
"Sure you haven’t. How many times have you called me up for girl advice? How many times have you told me that you had woken up and you heard music in the air...bunnies hopping around...marshmallow clouds floating in the velvet sky...the rays of sunshine being stairways to heaven..." Andria trailed off, laughing.
Taylor blushed. "Aww, come on, it’s not like you haven’t called me up for guy advice a million times and told me about how you could smell spring in the air when it was in the middle of winter, or remember that time when you said that the guy is the gooey white stuff inside a Twinkie...no wait, that was Zac, and it was with girls...Ok, remember when you said that you were so sure you’re in love cause you could sense the magic or whatever you were saying and you got awful superstitious?"
It was Andria’s turn to blush. "Ok, well, I guess we’re fifty-fifty even."
"If we aren’t, I don’t know what we are." Taylor laughed.
"It’s fun reminiscing." Andria grinned.
"Almost. Everything is an almost. Take change for an instant. Most people say it’s good, but it’s not one hundred percent good. They always think pro and never think con, so there’s always gonna be a con part of that change, and it might not be good. So change is good....almost." Taylor concluded his theory.
"Now that you have just informed me that you would like to study philosophy too, why don’t you just tell me your theory about girls? Or maybe you can use Zac’s Twinkie theory." Andria laughed.
"I think I’ll stick with Zac’s Twinkie theory." Taylor grinned sheepishly.
"And I’ll just stick to my magic and superstition." Andria couldn’t help but grin back.

Chapter 3...She’s pregnant. Again. For the seventh time.

Diana was tired and she had the stomach flu...or rather, she said she did.
As Taylor heard sounds of his mother getting sick in the bathroom, his heart reached out to her.
He hated it when anyone was sick.
Diana wasn’t eating a lot, and her appetite wasn’t big. Her usually ruddy complexion was pale.
She wasn’t very patient with her children and constantly snapped at the older ‘more responsible’ ones....or rather, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac.
Isaac frowned as he thought back to all those times Diana had said she had ‘the stomach flu’, it turned out to be Taylor, Jessie, and Avery. Diana was lucky with Zac and Mackenzie.
Maybe that was why Zac and Mackenzie could eat basically everything. They had stomachs made of steel...just about.
Isaac pressed his finger to his right temple, deep in thought, frowning slightly. What if she’s...no, she can’t be pregnant again, can she? Six is big but seven is too much. Can she possibly be pregnant again?

Taylor was helping Diana out of the bathroom with one supporting arm around his mother. He helped her into the master bedroom, and into bed. "If you need anything, mom, just call me."
"Thanks, Taylor, honey. I just need some rest." Diana murmured.
Taylor leaned forward and gave his mother a tiny kiss on the forehead. "I hope you get better soon. I hate to see anyone sick."
"I know." Diana smiled warily.
Taylor stood up and went into his room, gently closing the master bedroom door. He noticed Isaac sitting at the desk, frowning, and deep in thought. "Hey Ike, where’s dad?"
"Mmmhmm." Isaac murmured.
Taylor rolled his eyes, laughing. "Ike, is it ok with you if I tie myself butt-naked to the tree in our front yard and make a sign that says, ‘Middle Hanson Brother For Sale?’"
"Tay, you know you’d never do that." Isaac gave Taylor a weird look.
"Yeah, I was only kidding. Where’s dad and Zac?" Taylor asked again.
"I’ve been telling you all day long that Dad and Zac took Avie, Macky, Zoë, and a bunch of other little girls and boys to the zoo. Jessie’s at Lauren’s house," Isaac said, then paused. "Tay, do you think mom’s pregnant again?"
"Ike, what are you talking about? You’ve gotta be kidding. Six kids isn’t enough?" Taylor rolled his eyes, then grew serious. "Actually, I’ve been thinking that ever since she got morning sickness. As a matter of fact, she is pregnant."
"How do you know that?" Isaac asked.
At that moment Taylor turned so red Isaac wondered if anyone could possibly get anymore red than Taylor just did. "Well, I accidentally threw away this worksheet thing that mom told me to do....and....well, I....went.....through the trash can to get the worksheet......AAAAAAAANNDDD...." Taylor couldn’t possibly go on.
"No you didn’t." Isaac’s eyes grew wide in shock, and his mouth became a shape of an ‘o’.
Taylor nodded.
Isaac’s unasked question if anyone could possibly get redder than Taylor just did was answer when Taylor grew a even darker shade of red. "Was the line blue?"
Taylor nodded, growing the deepest shade of red Isaac has ever seen a person blush. "Tay..."
"Yeah, I know." Taylor turned around and ran in the bathroom to splash water on his hot, burning cheeks.

"Kids, your mother and I want to tell you something," Walker said, one hand on his wife’s shoulder.
Diana smiled up at him.
Isaac and Taylor exchanged looks. This is it.
Zac stared at his food. This looks really good. He picked up his fork and poked his chicken.
"I’m pregnant!" Diana looked so happy.
Zac’s mouth formed a surprised ‘o’ and he dropped his fork on the floor. When he reached down to pick it up, he bumped his head at the bottom of the table. "Ouch."
"That’s great mom!" Jessica squealed, jumped up and hugged her mom.
Mackenzie, being only three, didn’t understand what ‘pregnant’ was.
"Does this mean we get another little baby girl or boy?" Avery asked, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Yes, Avie." Walker smiled, resting his other hand on Isaac’s shoulder.
Isaac let out a breath of air. That’s another screaming, wet little bundle of joy. More diapers to change. More waking up in the middle of the night... "Congratulations, mom! That’s awesome!"
"Yeah!" Taylor exclaimed. "Completely awesome!"
"Seven kids," Zac muttered under his breath.
"What’d you say?" Walker asked.
"I said that’s great!" Zac smiled.
Diana smiled proudly as she hugged each of her children. "Thanks for the support kids. I really need it, especially now that Ike, Tay, and Zac are signed."
"We’ll always be in back of you through thick and thin, mom." Taylor said quietly.

"She’s pregnant again...for the seventh time!" Taylor whispered to Andria over the phone.
"Why are you whispering?" Andria asked.
"I dunno."
"Do you seriously think that your mom meant to get pregnant? I personally think it was an accident." At that comment, both Andria and Taylor burst out laughing.
"I’ve never thought of that. That is so funny." Taylor chuckled.
"Yeah..." Andria smiled briefly.
"Andria...I was just wondering.....no never mind." Taylor quickly said. Dammit.
"What?" Andria asked.
"Nothing. Just forget I said anything." Taylor said quickly.
"No. Tell me. Please?" Andria asked.
"No. It’s too embarrassing." Taylor said.
Andria froze. What if he suspects? "Does it have to do with me?"
"Yeah."
"Does it have to do with you?" Andria asked.
"Yeah." Taylor dragged the word out.
"Ok I don’t wanna know anymore." Andria’s eyes grew wide. He knows. He knows....
Oh God, she figured out that I like her. Now what am I gonna do? Taylor inwardly groan.
"Um...I think I should go now." Andria said slowly.
"Yeah I do too. Bye." Taylor hung up the phone. Oh, man, now what am I gonna do?

For the next couple of weeks, Taylor and Andria stayed clear of each other.
Isaac, Taylor, and Zac flew to Paramus, New Jersey for an appearance at the Paramus Park Mall sponsored by Z-100.
"We’re gonna be lucky if a few hundred fans show up." Taylor murmured.
"Yeah. I know." Isaac grinned.
"I hope." Zac chimed in.
As the Hanson van neared the mall, the parking lot was packed full of cars and girls.
"Oh my God, Sears is having a sale!" Isaac joked.
"Look at all those people! Will you believe that they came just to see us?" Taylor’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open in surprise.
"I do." Walker said grimly.
The van pulled up to the back entrance of the mall, and the boys were quickly ushered into a secured room.
"Oh my God, can you possibly believe this?" Taylor gaped, as the screams outside cut into him like knives.
"They’re loud," Zac said. "Really loud."
The boys were then ushered into an elevator.
A security guard opened the door to show them how it was like and Isaac, Taylor, and Zac nearly died of shock as this mass of volume just blasted at them.
The doors closed again.
"How are we gonna get through?" Taylor asked.
"Oh my God." Walker muttered under his breath.
"This is crazy!" Zac exclaimed.
Moments later, the boys were ushered up to stage. It was the first time they needed a posse of bodyguards.
Even so, there were hands grabbing at them.
"Do you know who these guys are?" Paul ‘Cubby’ Bryant yelled.
NO! Don’t do that! Taylor’s mind screamed as this huge wave of volume made him half-deaf.
He was nervous for the first time in his life. But this time, it wasn’t because of how many people were there...past six thousand hysterical fans had packed the mall. He was nervous for his life.
"Can you guys please stop screaming?" Zac begged.
Of course, his comment just made the girls scream louder.
Within minutes, the boys played a quick acoustic set of ‘Mmmbop’.
Skipping the interview, the boys rushed off stage and were carried in separate directions by the crowd.
Taylor pushed through the girls and heard a tearing sound. Whoop, there goes my shirt. Taylor looked around, unable to locate Isaac, Zac, his father or anyone else.
All he saw was girls, girls, and more girls who were advancing on him.
Suddenly, a few security guards came by and grabbed Taylor, pulling him into the secure posse with Isaac in it.
"WHERE’S ZAC?" Taylor yelled near Isaac’s ear.
Isaac pointed at the fans.

Zac looked around wildly. He had been trampled on, grabbed at, nearly pushed down, and almost kissed.
Suddenly, he located the security guard posse, but he couldn’t move through the mass of girls.
"’Scuze me. Coming through." Zac tried to push through the masses of screaming girls, but they wouldn’t let him through.
Finally, a few security guards came past and grabbed him.
As the boys headed toward their van at top speed, Zac grabbed the back of Taylor’s shirt.
"GO, GO, GO!" Zac yelled at the top of his lungs.
Once in the van, Zac felt somewhat safe...but not really.
Fans were pounding on the sides of the van, on the windows, and trying to open the door.
"LOCK THE DOORS!" Zac called out.
"I got them locked." Walker said.

Chapter 4...Zac Attack

-1998-

The Albertane Tour was over, but Isaac, Taylor, and Zac were flown to London for press, interviews, and a few scattered concerts.
Taylor was suffering miserably from jet lag. "Six hours time difference. Six hours."
"Tay, are you talking to yourself?" Isaac asked, amused.
Taylor grinned sheepishly. "Yea..."
"Well, you better not fall asleep in the middle of this concert. I know you’re tired, Tay, but just pull through. It’s only gonna be for a week, that’s why mom and the rest of them didn’t come." Isaac smiled encouragingly at his brother.
"Ok I’ll try, Ike." Taylor smiled warily.
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" Zac yelled at the top of his lungs, jumping around the dressing room.
Taylor raised his eyebrows questionably. "Zac, don’t even bother to tell me how many cans of Jolt Cola you had."
"Why not?" Zac asked, laughing. "Man this stuff is good," He opened another can of Jolt Cola, and handed it to Taylor. "Come on, bro. Liven up there. You look so tired."
Taylor grinned. "All right, all right. I’ll see if the sugar gets to my brain."
"Zac, don’t jump off the stage when you go on, now, ok?" Walker laughed.
"That’s crazy." Zac’s voice went up and then back to normal. Eew.
Taylor burst out laughing. "Puberty!" He fell of his chair, he was laughing so hard.
Isaac took a look at Taylor nearly dying of laughter on the floor, and looked at the can of Jolt Cola. "That stuff really works."

Isaac, Taylor, and Zac ran onstage, with a black light flashing in the background.
The audience started screaming and applauding as they leapt to their feet when they saw the boys of pop run onstage.
Taylor started to play the opening chords of ‘Speechless’, more lights came on, flashing wildly. Whoa this is one of the best lighting displays we’ve ever had. "Everybody wonders, and some people know, I guess that I’m some people, cuz, baby it shows..."

A man sat in his house, watching as a TV camera taped the boys.
He sat, bored as the camera stopped at Isaac, then moved to Taylor.
Suddenly, without warning, when the camera settled on Zac, the man started screaming and cussing on the top of his lungs.
He grabbed his 32. Caliber Magnum Revolver and shot the screen. Die, little boy, die.

Hanson rushed offstage, out of the building and into the awaiting van.
"That was wild." Isaac breathed.
"The lighting was awesome." Taylor said.
"We have company." Zac gazed out the window to see a few cars with fans leaning out of the windows with cameras following them.
"Oh, don’t worry, I’ll get rid of them." Jason said mildly, and he sped past a yellow light, just before it turned red.
Zac looked out the back window again to see another black van with tinted windows following them. "Jason, there’s a black van back there."
"Is it following us?" Jason asked as they turned the corner.
"Yea." Taylor said, glancing back too.
"It’s probably harmless." Jason said.
"Ok." Zac turned around and looked out the window at Green Jello, who was waving at them as the van drove up to the hotel entrance.
Jason jumped out of the van, and ran to the other side, holding up three fingers. Then he held up one finger, two fingers, and when he held up three fingers, he opened the door, and jumped out of the way as Isaac and Taylor made their dash to the hotel lobby.
Zac grabbed his camera, put it on record and recorded a few fans as the van was driven off by another security guard.
Then, as he started to make his dash for the hotel lobby, with the fans a few yards away from him, the darkly tinted van that had been following them drove past Zac, a hand appeared, bearing a .32 Caliber Magnum Revolver.
Two shots ran out as Zac dove out of the way, dropping his beloved camera on the floor.
Zac was scared to death as Jason and three more security guards helped him off the ground.
His stomach hurt, and his right arm was stinging. His eyes stung with tears as he picked up his camera and was ushered into the hotel lobby.
"Zac? Zac, oh my God, are you ok? I can’t believe this! Zac! Oh my GOD!" Taylor was going hysterical for the first time in his life.
"Tay, calm down, he’s ok." Jason reached a hand out and placed it firmly on Taylor’s shoulder.
Isaac gazed at Zac. First glance, he was standing there alive. Second glance, his arm was skinned badly. Third glance, his arm was skinned badly and was bleeding  a little, and he was holding his camcorder which was on RECORD. "Zac, you recorded this whole thing?"
"Huh?" Zac mumbled, glancing at his camera, nodding a little.
Jason glanced at the camera and said something to the security officer. "Zac, we need that camera."
"Why?" Zac asked.
"We’re gonna try to catch who tried to shot you, Zac." Jason said as police officers blocked off the hotel, and entered the lobby.
"Ok." Zac seemed pretty stable emotionally, considering the fact that he was almost shot and killed.
Poor kid. Jason ran his fingers fondly through Zac’s blond hair, so relieved that he didn’t loose Zac.
Taylor finally got past three security officers who wouldn’t move out of his way to Zac, hugging him tightly. "I can’t believe anyone would try a stunt like that!"
Zac felt wetness against his cheek as Taylor hugged him. His mouth dropped open in surprise. Was Taylor crying? He pulled away abruptly from his brother, who was indeed, crying. "Tay, are you ok?"
"Yeah. I’m fine. You have no idea how relieved I am." Taylor smiled slightly.
"I’m in shock. So, don’t try to talk to me. I can’t think right now." Isaac murmured, staring off into air.
Two police officers headed towards Zac and Taylor.
"Zac?" a woman police officer asked.
"Yea?" Zac asked nervously.
"We’re gonna ask you a few questions, ok? I’m Officer Bailey." the second police officer asked.
"Um...ok." Zac said slowly.
"Do you want me to leave?" Taylor asked.
"No, you can stay. Zac, I’m Detective Linda Ross, and I’ll be looking into this case. Can you tell me what just happened?" Detective Ross asked.
"Um, Jason went and opened the car door, and Ike and Tay ran into the hotel. I was stuck behind, so I decided to videotape a few fans. As I was taping them, the van that had been following us drove past me and a guy started firing at me. I jumped down on the ground, and I guess I dropped my camera cuz it kept on recording." Zac said.
"Wait, a van was following you? Did you notice this before?" Detective Ross exchanged looks with her partner.
Zac nodded.
"Did you tell Jason Browning of this matter?" Officer Bailey asked.
Zac nodded again. "He didn’t think it was that important. He thought it was just some fans that were following us, and it really didn’t matter much, cuz fans always follow us."
The detective and officer exchanged looks with each other.
"Zac, has Jason ever done anything to hurt you or your brothers in any way?" Detective Ross asked.
"NO! WILL YOU LEAVE ME ALONE? I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP! JASON IS ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS AND ACCUSING HIM OF ATTEMPTED MURDER OR BEING THE ACCOMPLICE OF AN ATTEMPTED MURDER IS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT TO WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING HERE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Zac yelled.
"Zac, we’re not accusing anyone-" Officer Bailey was cut off by Isaac.
"Officers, I don’t think my brother here is physically capable of being questioned tonight. Maybe if you come back tomorrow he’ll be more willing to talk, but as of now, he thinks that you are hassling him, and knowing my brother, after that outburst, he’s gonna be as clamped up as a clam. Now, our father will be arriving here shortly, and then you can get permission from him if you are even allowed to interrogate the victim. But right now, it would really help if you just left." Isaac said in a business-like manner.
"Young man, I’m not sure you know what we are talking about here. We are talking about an attempted murder, and we’d like to try and find out who the suspect is, if you don’t let us question your brother, we will-" Detective Ross was cut off by Isaac.
"Is that a threat? Well, I hate to remind you, but you are part of the British Police Department. We are American citizens, and if you even try to threaten me or my brothers in any way, I will sue the British Police Department without any obligation. I’m legally capable of doing that, because I’m eighteen...I don’t know what the laws here are in London, but in America, we have our rights, and we have a right to get a lawyer, even if we’re talking about a victim here, and until we get a lawyer or permission by a legal guardian, you are not getting any more questions out of my brother, who has just been shot at twice, looks as if he’s about to fall over from jet lag, and is scared half to death," Isaac pointed a finger at Detective Ross. "I know more than you think I do, so don’t even start with ‘oh, you’re just a child’, because I’m not. I’m sorry if I’ve been a little rude, but this is my brother we’re talking about here, I love him, and I don’t want him to be hurt in anyway. Just look at him. He is incapable of answering any of your questions right now."
Neither Taylor or Zac had ever seen Isaac talk to adults that way, or heard him talk about Zac the way he just had.
Unknowingly, Walker had been watching the scene as Isaac fought with the police officers. He should be a lawyer. Walker finally walked into the scene. "I am Walker Hanson, the father of Zachary Hanson, whom you have been questioning, and Isaac Hanson, who you have been, oh, I believe the word is...threatening. You are not going to ask my son anymore questions tonight."
"But sir, I’m not sure you understand what we are dealing with here-" Officer Bailey started.
Walker put up a hand to silence him. "I don’t know, and I don’t really care. My sons are tired enough as it is already, and they need some rest. Tomorrow, if you give me your card, I’ll make sure that I call you, and then you can come and ask Zac questions, if he’s up to it."
"All right, sir. I’m sorry if there was any trouble." The detective handed Walker her card. She had never dealt with such a family before. Isaac knew more about the American Justice System than she had thought. Well, it’s different in America than it is here, but the same rule goes for threatening.

Chapter 4...Forsaken

"Ike, thanks." Zac said.
"Ahh, it was no prob, Zac. You’re my brother, I had to stand up for you. And as corny as it sounds, I love you man." Isaac was dead serious when he said it. There was no hint of a smile, or a glint of mischief in his eyes. He almost lost his brother that night.
"I do too. You guys are two of my best friends. If either one of you died, I’d be grieving for the rest of my life." Taylor said softly.
"Yea." Zac smiled slightly.
"Boys, I hate to do this to you, but I’m going to cancel tomorrow’s concert." Walker said.
"NO!" Zac exclaimed.
Walker, his hand reaching for the phone, turned to look at Zac, surprised. "Zac, aren’t you scared?"
"I am, but I can’t disappoint all those fans. Think about it this way. Dad, if you paid one hundred and forty two dollars for a nose-bleed-section seat, and wouldn’t be able to get your payment back because Zac Hanson was scared, would you be very happy?" Zac asked.
"No..." Walker said slowly.
"My case is closed. If anything happens at this concert, then maybe I’ll be scared enough to go home, but, until then, the ZAC-MAN IS FEARLESS!" Zac exclaimed, making a running jump onto the bed.
Walker sighed and dropped his hand to his side. "All right, Zac. I’ll call in extra security."
Isaac and Taylor exchanged looks, grinning and slapped each other high-fives. "All right!"

"They’re keeping this confidential as possible. It’s not gonna be in the press, or newspaper, or whatever." Walker said.
"Ok." Zac smiled slightly as he gulped down some Snapple.
Isaac and Taylor were arm-wrestling, and it was pretty fifty-fifty. Neither one was winning.
Finally, they broke off. "It’s not working." Taylor shook his head.
"Yeah, I know." Isaac said.
Zac snorted. "You guys are nothing but skin and bones."
"Hey!" Isaac exclaimed.
As the boys ran onstage, florescent lights lit up the stage happily.
Zac ran to his drums. I love you, cymbal. I love you drumsticks. I LOVEEEEEEE you drum set! Zac was even joking in his thoughts.
Taylor started the opening chords to ‘Thinking of You’, constantly glancing over his shoulder at Zac, making sure he was ok.
As he glanced in the middle of the chorus, he noticed movement from the rafters.
Taylor looked up and saw a dark figure above Zac, pushing something...pushing...pushing...pushing... "NO!!!" Taylor yelled and turned, pushing Zac out of the way just as a heavy light fixture came crashing down on the drum set...and Taylor.
Zac was in shock momentarily. "TAY! OH MY GOD!"
"Oh Christ Jesus," Isaac ran to the drum set, dropping his guitar. "Taylor! Oh God, Taylor, say something."
A few security guards came running out onstage.
The audience was in chaos as they watched in terror a limp and bloodied Taylor being dragged out to the middle of the stage.
"TAYLOR! NO!" Zac yelled as tears flooded his eyes. He tried to run to his brother, but he was held back by Jason as he wildly thrashed around. "No! LET ME GO! I HAVE TO GET TO TAY! You don’t understand! LET ME GO!" Zac finally fell limp, crying, then he turned around and buried his face in Jason’s shoulder. "It’s all my fault......it’s all my fault...."
"No it’s not, Zac. It’s not your fault." Jason gazed at Taylor. I should’ve checked the rafters. It’s not your fault, Zac. It’s mine. I didn’t put him away when I had the chance to, and now he’s after you, and if I tell authorities who it is, he’ll kill you on the spot. I have to catch him in action...
Isaac’s knees gave way as he crumpled into a ball, watching as paramedics desperately tried to revitalize Taylor.
The fans were filed out of the auditorium in an orderly fashion, many of them crying.
Walker couldn’t believe this was happening to him...to his sons, who he would’ve given his life up for. And as Jesus asked God when he was dying on the cross, Walker asked the Heavenly Father the same question Jesus had. Father, why have you forsaken me?
Zac didn’t notice the wound above his forehead, or the sharp pain in his leg whenever he walked. He didn’t care. He didn’t fight when he was put in an ambulance for his injuries along with Taylor.

As the ambulance took off with the two of them, Zac gazed at Taylor forlornly, and he whispered the four words that his brother had never heard him say his whole life. "Taylor, I love you."
He wasn’t allowed to move as the emergency medical technicians worked on his brother and on him.
Taylor heard Zac’s words, and a faint smile lit upon his face, even though he was going through so much physical pain and agony.
"He smiled." One EMT said.
Zac gasped. "He did? Taylor if you can hear me, smile again."
But, Taylor slipped back into the dark sea of unconsciousness, the smile leaving his face.
"He’s unconscious again."
Zac turned his head to hide his tears as the EMTs cut away Taylor’s clothing to reveal the nasty gashes and wounds underneath.
Zac couldn’t bear to look at Taylor, who had just about given up his life to save Zac’s life.

Taylor woke up to sounds of sniffling and crying. He felt his mother running her fingers through his hair.
"Mom?"
"I had to get here as soon as I heard." Diana wasn’t the one who was crying.
"I’m all achy," Taylor murmured. Suddenly he realized with a pang of terror that he couldn’t feel his legs. "Mom, I can’t feel my legs! Mom..."
"Tay, it’s ok. It’s the medication they put you on to relieve the pain. Your left leg was broken in thirteen different places, and your left collarbone was cracked. A few ribs were broken." Diana sniffed.
But the heavy crying wasn’t from Diana.
"It’s all my fault." Zac whimpered.
Taylor turned his head to see Zac crying in the other bed.
Isaac was sitting in the chair near Zac, his head bowed, tear streaks on his face.
Walker looked haggard as he leaned heavily on the door of their room.
"He’s been crying for three days straight," Walker said quietly. "in his dreams. When he’s awake."
"Zac, it’s not your fault." Taylor said softly.
"I can’t believe someone would be twisted and evil enough to try and kill my son. I can’t believe this. Why us?" Diana broke down crying.
Walker walked over to Diana, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Because a stalker is someone who’s crazy enough to go to any extent to get what he wants and won’t rest until he does."
Zac continued his crying. "It’s all my fault. If it wasn’t my fault, you wouldn’t of almost died."
"Zac, it’s NOT YOUR FAULT! Get it through your head! It’s not your fault that someone tried to kill you. You’re my brother and I love you. I’d even...I’d even give my life up for you. It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t, I swear, Zac, it wasn’t your fault." Taylor said firmly.
Zac’s crying died down a little. "Is that true, Tay?"
"Zac, you know it is."
"Dad, I want to go home." Zac whimpered.
"So do I. Take me home, Dad. Take me home." Taylor was crying now.
Diana knew Taylor was scared and helpless. He couldn’t do anything against this lunatic of a stalker. "As soon as they release you from the hospital, Tay. You’re physically incapable."
"I don’t care, just take me home. I wanna go home today." Taylor cried.
Diana knew these were desperate tears. The medication he had been given would’ve made him numb of all emotions, but he was crying, so that meant he really wanted to go home. "Walker, pull some strings."
"I will."