Taylor
Taylor opened the front door, acoustic slung over his shoulder, and stuck his head around.
"Hello?" he called.
Getting no answer, he shrugged and walked in. Ike and Zac were probably already in the rec room.
He hesitated when he heard piano music, then grinned and opened the door.
Isaac and Zac
"Hi stranger," Zac said cheerfully.
Isaac looked up from the piano.
"Hey Tay," he grinned. "Ready to jam?"
"And if not jam, then maybe peanut butter?" Zac joked.
Taylor
Taylor chuckled as he closed the door behind him and grabbed a nearby stool.
"Ready when you guys are."
He sat down and moved the guitar onto his lap.
Isaac and Zac
Zac picked up a guitair as well.
"All right," he said. "How shall we start today?"
"Umm... well..." Isaac said. "We could continue writing that song we were working on last time."
"Which song we were working on last time?" Zac teased.
"Or we could practice something..."
Taylor
"Hold on a second."
Taylor strummed for a moment, then looked at Zac.
"Can you try that with a G and F? I wanna see how it goes together."
Isaac and Zac
"Yep," Zac said.
He tried the bar as Taylor specified. Isaac listened thoughtfully.
Taylor
Taylor played over it in contradicting keys.
When it finished, he looked thoughtful.
"It's got kind of... not a real 'boppy' feel to it, but more of a high... rock sort of feel," he looked at Ike, "what do you think?"
Isaac and Zac
"Mmm... yeah... I think so too..." Isaac said. "Y'know what we could use with that? Zac? You remember... oh nevermind..."
He turned away from the piano and picked up another guitair and played the part he was thinking of.
"Oh yeah!" Zac said.
Taylor
"You want to play that over it?" Taylor raised his eyebrows, "or... that could actually sound good as an intro when you think about it. I mean, I'm picturing it on the electrics..."
He rubbed his chin.
Isaac and Zac
"Really?" Zac said. "I thought it would make a good bridge."
"Either could work," Isaac put in quickly.
He played the part again.
Taylor
"I think it could work with a slower bridge. As boppy as it may seem, it sounds kind of... lonely," Taylor frowned a little.
He strummed a little, then began strumming the bridge of another song they were working on.
"I think that'd be a good bridge," he chuckled.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac chuckled.
"Yay! Cannibalising our own songs! Whoo hoo!" Zac grinned. "Go the boppy lonely song."
"Zac, have you been consuming antifreeze again?"
Zac poked his tongue out at him.
"But yeah, that works..." Isaac said, starting the stum the part again.
Taylor
"He doesn't need drugs when he's got Saku and Faith," Taylor chuckled.
His smile soon faded as he looked across at the piano. Waking up from his daydreaming, he began strumming again.
"Wanna try it together?"
Zac and Isaac
"Okay," Isaac agreed the same time Zac said "What's that supposed to mean?"
Isaac patted Zac on the head.
"Never you mind. Be a good boy and play."
Zac stuck his tongue out again, the boys played.
Taylor
Taylor played along, then grinned when they finished.
"That was pretty cool," he nodded.
"What do you think?"
Isaac and Zac
"I like it," Isaac said.
"I think that the... that third bar, I think we need to change that," Zac said.
"To what?"
"Well..."
Zac tried it out.
Taylor
Taylor hesitated for a moment, thinking it over.
"That does... that does work. It makes it more mellow I think," he squinted slightly.
"Do you wanna try some of that on the piano Ike?"
Isaac and Zac
"Rightio," Isaac said.
He put the guitar back down and tried it out on the piano. Zac listened, then joined in with guitar.
Taylor
Taylor nodded distractedly.
"I dunno... now I think there's something missing," he frowned.
Isaac and Zac
"Umm... well..." Isaac said. "Bass? Drums?"
"Yay drums."
"Okay, Zac? Still with the antifreeze theory here."
Taylor
"Nah, I'm picturing it with drums... We need to integrate the bass somehow though," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Could we use that other part we were talking about? The bass from that?"
Isaac and Zac
"Umm, yep..." Zac said. "Okay, Ike, I'll take the piano, if you take the bass... and Tay you go with guitar and we'll try it."
"He's so demanding," Isaac mused, standing up to switch seats with Zac.
"But you love me anyway."
"You keep telling yourself that."
Isaac picked up the bass.
Taylor
Taylor chuckled as they began to play. Taylor stopped playing for a moment, then continued on with them.
He headbanged a little and grinned, hearing it come together.
"I don't know about you guys..." Taylor began afterwards, "but I think that sounded cool."
Isaac and Zac
"Yep!" Zac said.
"Very cool," Isaac agreed. "So... where do we wanna take it?"
Taylor
Taylor hesitated, then strummed a little of what they'd just done.
He made up a few lyrics off the top of his head and sang along for a little, then looked up for Ike and Zac's reactions.
Zac and Isaac
"Umm..." Zac said. "Yeah that works..."
"Let's try that..." Isaac said, preparing to play again.
Zac put his hands back on the piano.
Taylor
Taylor began to sing along as they played, stopping every now and then to change the words around.
After they played it through a few times and wrote it down so they wouldnt forget, Taylor began strumming absently.
"So how are things with Madison?" he grinned, looking up at Ike.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac smiled.
"Things are good. A little slow, but I like it that way," he said.
"Careful, Ike," Zac said cheekily. "Don't go too slow or you'll be 98 before you ever get married."
"Ha. Ha. Funny."
Taylor
"One foot in the grave," Taylor chuckled, remembering what Zac had said.
"But that is kinda weird... you're the last one out of the three of us to get married and you're the oldest."
Isaac and Zac
"Well, I could have been the first to get married," Isaac commented blandly. "But something came up."
"Okay, sore point right there, I can tell," Zac said. "Change the subject quick! Umm... Stuff. Stuff is good."
Taylor
Taylor hesitated, suddenly seeing where that could have gone.
He turned to Zac.
"I guess I don't really need to ask how you and Faith are getting on," he grinned, "I'd probably get a lot more information than I intended to."
Isaac and Zac
Zac grinned wickedly.
"Yeah, probably."
"And that's not a cue for you to tell us anyway."
"Drat."
"Do you know, Tay, Zac keeps a sex journal?"
Taylor
Taylor blinked for a moment, letting it sink in.
"You have a sex journal?" he looked at Zac blankly.
"Ok... why?"
Isaac and Zac
"I was bored," Zac replied, then paused and added: "And excited."
"He writes a commentary," Isaac went on. "And gives it a rating out of ten."
Taylor
Taylor raised one eyebrow, and shook his head.
"Zac, I knew there was something wrong with you from birth, but this..."
He looked at Isaac, then back at Zac.
"Why though? A sex journal? I mean come on, what if mom or dad found it?"
Isaac and Zac
"Well, I don't think they will, considering it's in a locked box, and the only keys are on my keyring," Zac replied.
"Yet I found it lying around the hotel room."
"And woe is Ike's poor virgin eyes."
Taylor
Taylor just shook his head incredulously.
"Oh, there's something I've been meaning to ask you too..." he glanced at Zac.
"When you and Faith like... have a heart to heart I guess... do you, like, tell her your problems or just let her tell you hers?"
Isaac and Zac
Zac blinked.
"Umm..."
"He has to think about it," Isaac grinned. "Don't hurt yourself."
"Well, hmm..." Zac said. "I guess we both tell each other our problems. Of course usually the major ones involve the other anyway."
"Oh really?"
"Not like that. Gee."
Taylor
"Good point," Taylor shrugged.
"It's just that I... don't really feel that open with Mouse. I just don't want to burden her or anything."
Isaac and Zac
Zac shrugged.
"Burden's always lighter when there's two people to carry it."
Isaac's jaw dropped.
"I'm sorry... did Zac just say something intelligent?"
Taylor
"He's getting philosophical again," Taylor grinned.
"Which is actually really good considering where we are and what we're meant to be doing..."
Isaac and Zac
"So there," Zac said.
"And back to normaldom we go," Isaac grinned.
"But seriously," Zac went on, "how can you have a relationship where you're hiding things from her?"
"I take back that last statement."
Taylor
"These aren't little things Zac," Taylor shook his head.
"And it'd only make her worry more. For instance the Nat thing..." he looked at Ike, "and not to mention a few others."
Isaac and Zac
Zac shrugged.
"All the more reason you should tell her. I mean, you might be right, it might worry her. But don't you think it'll worry her more if she realises your keeping something from her?"
"He has a point... although... I mean... I guess... you're keeping a sex journal Zac. Betcha never told Faith about that," Isaac commented.
"And not planning to. But somehow I doubt Taylor has an unsavoury hobby," Zac replied blandly.
Taylor
Taylor raised his eyebrows, then grinned at Ike.
"Zac actually called it unsavoury. Are we getting somewhere?"
Isaac and Zac
"I think we are," Isaac grinned back.
"No, no, I was just calling it unsavoury because I know that what you guys think of it," Zac put in.
"Sure, sure."
Taylor
"Whatever you say," Taylor raised his eyebrows in almost sarcastic defeat.
Then he chuckled.
"At least we know we have blackmail material if we ever need it."
Isaac and Zac
Zac gave him a dirty look, and Isaac laughed.
"Yeah! Although, between you and me, Tay, no one would want to read it. Except Zac and his perverted mind."
"Just because you have virgin eyes..."
Taylor
"Well I'm sure his past... acquaintances would love to know how he scored them," Taylor raised an eyebrow.
"Score out of ten. And I bet you didn't go easy on them either."
Isaac and Zac
Zac chuckled.
"Nope, nope I didn't. Although... a couple of times I have given them scores over ten... like the spa with Faith..." Zac trailed off, getting a distant look in his eyes as he remembered.
"If I were game enough to pick the lock and get the book out," Isaac said. "I would go through and find out who he gave the lowest score to, and then photocopy that page and send it to the girl."
Zac poked his tongue out at him.
Taylor
"Which is a great thing to have for blackmail," Taylor grinned, "so don't annoy us too much Zac."
He chuckled again, then strummed absently.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac laughed evilly.
"You even try it and I'll make sure you both regret it," Zac warned. "I'll make you hot food cold and cold food hot. I'll make your beds and showers cold. I'll -"
"Continue making meaningless threats."
"I'll read out my favourite entries to you and offend your virgin ears."
Taylor
"So you're planning to come visit me every hour of the day to make sure everything's a different temperature?" Taylor raised his eyebrows with a grin, "and we don't have to listen if we don't want to."
Isaac and Zac
"One word, Tay: Tour," Zac smirked.
"That won't be for a couple more months," Isaac pointed out.
"Yes, but I have a little thing called patience."
Taylor
"Well you know... so do we," Taylor's grin widened.
"Maybe Fafnir could do us a favour after all... or better yet..."
He chuckled.
"One name Zac. Friday."
Isaac and Zac
"Oh no!" Zac objected. "There is absolutely no way you're going to let her turn me into a girl and impregnate me."
He paused, then added sweetly:
"Of course, I know she's just dying to turn you into a girl and see if there's any change."
"Ooooh, low blow, low blow," Isaac hissed.
Taylor
"Getting a little desperate for insults there Zac? Have to use other peoples'?" Taylor raised an eyebrow, the grin having disappeared.
"At least I wouldn't end up pregnant from it, as she wants to do with you."
Isaac and Zac
"Good point," Isaac grinned.
"See? Friday wants a child with me too... just like a lot of other women on this planet," Zac retorted. "Meanwhilst you're hiding secrets from your own fiancee who's carrying kids without one shred of your DNA."
"Okay, there's no need to get nasty..."
Taylor
Taylor scowled.
"You try telling Faith that your first child was a science experiment, and you thought it was a clone so you were glad that it died," he fumed.
"Or try telling her that you knew at the beginning of the year that her parents actually worked for the man that she wants to kill most in the world, and you always wanted to tell her but there was never the right moment, and she ended up finding out in the worst freaking way possible."
He put a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes.
"Sorry, I... I need to cool off," he said finally.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac was silent, and Zac chewed his lip.
"Oh hey, I'm sorry man," he said. "I didn't realise... But I mean... you've got to tell her. She deserves to know. I mean, it'll probably hurt, but I mean... you said she found out the worst possible way... I..."
There was an awkward silence.
"Umm, so... who wants to write a song?" Isaac asked.
Taylor
Taylor glanced up at Ike, then looked down again and gulped.
"Ah yeah... were we... did we work out the lyrics to the bridge on that one we were working on earlier?"
Isaac and Zac
"No, I don't think we did," Isaac said, pulling up the notes they had made. "Yeah... no bridge yet."
"Okay umm... what about..." Zac began, and tried something out, playing the piano as he did.
Taylor
Taylor concentrated solely on the music.
After amoment, he sighed.
"I think it sounds better in third person."
Isaac and Zac
Zac chuckled.
"Wanna give this one a break for another day then?"
Isaac shrugged.
"We have other songs to work on," he replied non committingly.
Taylor
Taylor shrugged as well, looking distracted.
"I attempted to go Christmas shopping on Monday," he raised an eyebrow, "managed to get something for mom and dad, and that was it."
Isaac and Zac
"Yeah, I hate trying to come up with presents for people sometimes," Isaac said. "Plus the shops are so crowded at Christmas time."
"It sucks," Zac said. "Actually... it's stinks, y'know what with all the people in one area accumulating... oh nevermind."
Taylor
Taylor just shook his head with a small chuckle.
"I know what I'm getting Ike, but I have no idea what to get you," he shrugged.
"But I got interrupted by Blakesley."
Isaac and Zac
"Blakesley!" Isaac and Zac exclaimed in unison.
If they weren't so concerned they might have laughed at that.
"Are you okay? Well, obviously you're okay because you're still here..." Isaac said.
"Tell me he's dead," Zac said.
Taylor
Taylor had jumped when they'd exclaimed.
"Well... I can't say he's dead," he frowned a little.
"And I guess he's a little pissed that things didn't turn out the way he wanted. He wanted to take me in again. Obviously that didn't happen."
Isaac and Zac
"Well, I'm a little pissed he's not dead," Zac replied. "I swear if I ever see him, I'm gonna kill him on sight. I'll boli his blood and I don't care how many humans are there to see it."
"That's a little rash don't you think?" Isaac asked. "I mean, y'know... doing so in front of witnesses..."
"Dun care."
Taylor
"Maybe that's why Steel didn't kill him when he had the chance," Taylor began strumming again, "the only reason I got away was because he and Bee were there. He's invented some kind of shock collar. One press of some remote control and I get zapped."
He sneered a little, remembering what he'd called him.
Isaac and Zac
"Why does that sound so cliche?" Isaac mused. "Shock collars..."
"Because it is?" Zac suggested. "Don't matter. He's still dead meat."
Taylor
Taylor just nodded.
"He has Christian and Christina," he sighed, "so my best guess is that he wants to compare me to Christian. I can't think of anything else he'd want me for... logically."
He ran his fingers through his hair.
"It's like he's dedicated his life to make mine a living hell. I hate it."
Isaac and Zac
"It's very simple," Zac said. "I'm going to kill him."
"So you keep saying, Zac," Isaac commented.
"Yes. I'm going to kill him. And he will be dead."
"Funny about that. So, umm, as much as I sympathise, and for once hope that Christian and Christina get out of his grip, umm, alive and well, I think we'd better change the subject before Zac's thirst for blood starts to scare me."
Taylor
"I just wish someone would kill him. I mean, he's been wanted since July... why the hell can't they find him?" Taylor looked worried.
He shook his head, then continued strumming.
"Let's get on with this."
Isaac
"Yep," Isaac agreed.
He began to strum on the bass again, expecting his brothers to join in.
Taylor
Taylor joined in, then stopped almost halfway through.
"Hang on, I know what it's missing."
He stood up and put the guitar down, then went over to Zac's drum set. He picked up a couple of drum sticks, and looked up.
"Play it again and I'll try something."
Isaac and Zac
"I feel usurped," Zac joked.
Nonetheless, he joined with with Isaac as they played again.
Taylor
Taylor added a beat on the drums as they played again, and put in a little drum solo at the end.
"Howzat?" he grinned afterward, "that gives it the kind of rock edge, don't you think?"
Isaac and Zac
"Yeah, I like it," Isaac agreed.
"Totally rockin' dude," Zac nodded.
"We're coming back to the antifreeze..."
Taylor
"He's a drummer, he's aloud to say things like that," Taylor shrugged, as he stood up.
He put the drumsticks down, then grabbed a nearby writing pad and wrote down what he'd just done.
Isaac and Zac
"So ner," Zac said.
"Don't encourage him."
"I need little encouragement."
"That's the problem."
Taylor
"What, you'd prefer these sessions to be boring?" Taylor raised an eyebrow, glancing at Ike before continuing to write.
"Admit it, he could have said a lot worse. And that's not an invitation Zac."
Zac and Isaac
"Drat," Zac joked.
"But I like make the antifreeze comments..." Isaac grinned.
Taylor
"Even they get old," Taylor shook his head.
He checked his watch.
"I should probably head back. I kinda snuck out."
Isaac and Zac
"Ooooh, Taylor the bad boy Hanson," Zac said. "Sneaking out of the house."
"Come back soon," Isaac grinned, teasing. "Don't be a stranger."
Taylor
"I will," Taylor grinned, as he headed over to fetch his guitar.
"I left when Bee was supposed to be watching the both of us, because Riss went grocery shopping."
He grabbed the guitar and slung it over his shoudler.
"I just... He's stuck to me like glue. I needed space."
Isaac and Zac
"Tay," Isaac said in concern. "Space or not... please remember he's there to protect you. I don't want to find out Blakelsey's taken you again."
"Me neither," Zac added firmly.
Taylor
Taylor bit his lip.
"I'm sticking to public places. But you know what I mean. You know I hate all the attention, because I always have."
He ran his fingers through his hair.
"I just... I'll be careful. And you know I'm paranoid about it anyway."
He headed for the door.
"I'll come around tomorrow or something."
Isaac and Zac
"Okay Tay," Isaac said. "Have a safe trip home."
"See you tomorrow!" Zac said cheerfully.
Taylor
"See you later guys," Taylor smiled.
And he left.