Taylor
Taylor cooed as he played with the fuzzles. They'd definately grown somewhat, and they'd been ready to leave their parents for quite some time.
He just wasn't sure how they'd handle the situation.
Malory was becoming more and more isolated, so Taylor was convinced he'd be fine on his own. Aricin and Dorian were like two peas in a pod, basically inseparable. But together they caused havoc anyway. And they were getting way to big to be wrestling with their siblings nearby.
Jade was always cuddling her mother. Content little thing. Mya had basically glued herself to Taylor whenever she could, and Xanthe was a cross between clinging to Taylor and her father. Yes, she was alot like her daddy.
He pursed his lips. Aricin and Dorian were wrestling as usual. Xanthe and Jade were with their parents. Malory was alone in the corner, facing the corner and cooing to himself. Mya was on Taylor's head, getting lost in his hair.
Finally, he stood, catching Mya as she fell. He put her onto his shoulder as she shook herself, before heading to the door.
"Avie?! Jess?!" he called.
Jessica
Jess came bounding into the room. "You rang?"
Taylor
"Woah," Taylor stepped back suddenly, "that was a bit... sudden."
He turned around and went back to where the fuzzles' nest was. He carefully took hold of Malory, and took him back to Jess.
"I think they're ready to leave their parents. They're quite big right now," he chuckled a little, "so if you have somewhere set up in your room already, wanna take him now?"
Jessica
"Oh, cool!" she cried. "Hi Malory," she said softly, as she took him in her hands. "He's so sweet!"
Taylor
"And quiet too. That's the good thing about him," he grinned.
"TAYLOOOOOR!"
Taylor rolled his eyes as he went to the door.
"Yeah Mac? Oh! Of course..."
He went back to the fuzzles to retrieve Aricin.
"Arrie! Arrie!" Dorian jumped, sad that they'd been separated.
"He'll be back, don't worry," Taylor cooed in fuzzle, before taking him to the door.
Aricin looked up expectantly.
"Aricin!" Mac exclaimed, putting his hands over the fuzzle.
"You have to take good care of him, ok?" Taylor insisted, his eyebrows raised.
"I will."
"Make sure he's comfortable in your room. And make sure he can't cause trouble. He'd be back with Dorian in a split second if he could be."
"Ok Tay!"
And Mackie bounded off.
Taylor ran his fingers through his hair, turning back to his eldest sister.
"Where's Avie?" he asked.
Jessica
"I dunno," Jess replied. "Hey, Tay, did you know that while you were gone, the fuzzles kept dreaming about you? But in Dorian's dreams, you're a giant fuzzle," she giggled.
Taylor
Taylor raised his eyebrows and turned to Dorian, sulking quietly.
"That's... interesting," he chuckled, "and let me guess, he tackled me?"
He ruffled the small tuft of fur sticking up on Dorian's head, as the fuzzle slowly began to cheer up.
He bounced a little, swaying on his small feet.
"Arrie will be back, don't worry," Taylor insisted with a smile, "as if we could keep you two apart for long."
He put a finger on Dorian's head and began to roll the fuzzle around. He giggled, his whole body jolting as he did.
Jessica
"Yep. You've got it. These Fuzzles have very interesting dreams. Except for Malory. He just dreams of being alone. He's kinda anti-social, isn't he? ASlthough he is beautiful."or
Taylor
"Yeah, he is. I'm not sure how many times I've thought that."
Taylor let go of Dorian for a moment to stroke Malory's fur. He thought about what his father had told him.
"If he... If Malory gives you any trouble at all, even a little, let me know ok?" he began softly, "I mean, we shouldn't have anything to worry about. But if he plays up, just let me know. Or dad."
Jessica
"Okay," Jess replied. "I'll go get him settled in in my room," she said, smiling.
Avery
Avery walked into Taylor's room.
"Hey, you yelled?"
Taylor
"Yeah I did," Taylor grinned, going to fetch Jade.
"The fuzzles are ready to move in with their new owners," he said, picking her up.
He took her over to Avery and held out his hand.
"Are you ready for her?" he raised his eyebrows.
Avery
Avery squealed and reached out for Jade.
"Really? Now? Because I am ready. I'm so ready!"
Taylor
"She's yours," Taylor grinned, handing her over.
"She might want to be put back with her mom sometimes. She and Meena are pretty attached."
Avery
Avie gave Taylor a wide grin.
"Thank you, Tay-Tay!"
She petted Jade and cooed softly. "Hiya Jade!"
Mouse
Mouse walked in and smiled at both of them. "Hey, Avery. Hey, amour." She looked down at the fuzzle in Avery's hands. "So, the fuzzles get to go to their new homes? Cool."
Taylor
"Yep, sort of," Taylor grinned, wrapping his arms around her.
"All in the same home, for now. Which reminds me..."
His eyes drifted to the other side of the room as he pursed his lips thoughtfully.
"I'll have to have another talk with dad."
Avery
Avery bounced as she petted Jade.
"I love her, she's so cute. And greeeeeeeen!"
Mouse
"Yeah, kinda picked up on that," Mouse said dryly. "Jade is green. Yay for Jade."
Taylor
"She didn't have much of a choice," Taylor smiled, swaying Mouse slightly before bending over to kiss her cheek.
"It was either yellow, blue, or some shade of green. But the important thing is, she's cute. Just like Mouse. Though Mouse is only green in the mornings," he chuckled a little, "and thank God for that."
Avery
Avery beamed.
"Well, I'm gonna take Jade now. Thank you Tay!"
She petted Jade and headed for the door.
"See you two later!"
Mouse
"Urgh, don't remind me," Mouse said making a face. "I hate being sick in the mornings. It just sucks. Majorly." She sat down next to him. "So, are you keeping the rest?"
Taylor
"Mya's like a leech," he chuckled, "so yeah, except for this one."
He reached over and pulled out Dorian, who bounced in his hand. He looked up at Mouse, then took her hand and placed Dorian into her palm.
"Here's your troublemaker."
Mouse
"Hey, Dorian!" Mouse smiled down at the fuzzle. She looked back up at Taylor. "You know, I'd almost forgotten I was getting one. What with the general confusion and mayhem." She tickled the fuzzle gently and he giggled.
Taylor
"Well it's a bit hard for me to forget, even with recent... mental problems as it were," Taylor scratched his head.
"I told Mac that this one and Aricin will have to see each other quite often. They're that inseparable. I hope you don't mind."
Mouse
"Nah, I like Mac. He's sweet. Won't be a problemo." Mouse tickled the fuzzle and cooed to it some more. Dorian responded with happy squeaks. Mouse giggled. "I love fuzzles. They're like instant pick-me- ups. But I know a better one..." She leant up and pressed a quick kiss to Taylor's cheek.
Taylor
Taylor laughed slightly, turning to face her.
He leant in, putting a hand around the back of her neck as he pulled her in for a proper kiss. It felt like forever since he'd had one.
"Mmm... I love you, you know that?" he chuckled as he pulled away.
Mouse
"Most of the time." Mouse grinned. "Love you too, mon coeur." She decided that she had missed this. A lot. He made her feel special. "You know what I like most about you? You always make me feel special. I adore you for that."
Taylor
"Well that's because you are special," Taylor grinned.
He kissed her again, his left hand rubbing her right thigh.
"And you're going to make an excellent mother, because you're already an excellent girlfriend."
MOuse
"Hmm. Do you think?" Mouse smiled at him. "I think you are quite possibly the best and sweetest boyfriends around." Don't have to worry about you cheating on me like Faith does with Zac, or worry about you hitting me like poor Jessi has with so many of hers, she thought to herself silently. Thank god for that.
^^^FATHER!MOTHER!^^^
"Whoa, a few someone's are awake now."
Taylor
Taylor chuckled as he leant back, looking down.
"I guess we're not gonna get any privacy until they're born, huh?"
He rubbed his nose, before suddenly being 'jumped' by Mya. He jumped a little, before letting her climb up his sleeve to his shoulder where she curled up.
"Then again, I guess you could never be lonely in this room."
Mouse
"You have a good point," Mouse said dryly as she looked around. Fuzzles everywhere, babies in her tummy and a canine nose poking its way round a door. "You might as well come in. Everyone else has," she said in a slightly disgruntled tone. Fafnir padded in, followed by Bets.
Heya, Pack.
"Guys. Meet Dorian." Mouse held out the fuzzle for them to sniff, which they did somewhat reluctantly. "You eat him and I'll have your hides for a throwrug."
We won't eat the little fuzzball. Fafnir promised.
They'd get stuck in your teeth anyway. Bets opined.
Taylor
"Didn't Fafnir say something similar about Flavian some time ago?" he smiled in mix, scratching the wolf behind the ears.
"Although you seem to have taken a liking to the little furball."
He heard Flavian huff and laughed. Mya uncurled herself and took hold of some of Taylor's hair, pulling herself up on top of his head where she began to make a nest in his hair.
"Not sure about after he started breeding though," he added thoughtfully, looking up without moving his head.
Mouse
Pffft. Fafnir said in annoyance. Nah, he's not so bad for a mobile ball of fluff. Has less sense then a kitten though. Fafnir curled up at Taylor's and Mouse's feet. Bets soon joined him.
"So. Bets, did you come on heat?" Mouse asked curiously.
No. I think I will be soon though. Bets answered.
Hmm.
"Don't even start, wolf." Mouse laughed.
Taylor
Taylor grinned.
"Just a hint. If anyone other than myself sees you at it the hose will be on, full throttle," he chuckled.
"Especially if it's mom or dad."
He shuddered.
"Actually, maybe me too. It's really something I don't need to see. It'd be like walking in on Zac, although I've known him alot longer."
Mouse
"Ok, ew! The thought of your brother and sex is not an image I need to carry me through the day. Especially since at the moment it would involve one of my friends." Mouse made a face.
Bets and Fafnir chuckled. Two leggers. You get so worked up over the silliest things...Fafnir said fondly.
Don't sweat it, sweet. We;ll be going hunting away before we do that. He has to prove himself ya know. Fafnir nipped her ear gently in affection.
Taylor
"Sorry angel," Taylor smiled, before leaning over to kiss Mouse on the cheek again.
Then he lay back onto the bed, resting his head on his hands.
"You know... it's going to be nice and quiet in here with just these five," he indicated the fuzzles, Mya having slipped from his head onto the bed.
Mouse
"Yeah...and the Three." Mouse smiled and slipped to the floor to lay with Fafnir and Bets. They all three sighed happily as Mouse laid her head against Fafnir's side and Bets laid her head in Mouse's lap. "I'm just glad to be back."
We are glad that the Pack is together again. Fafnir told her. It is not right that the Pack be seperated.
Taylor
Taylor smiled and sighed.
"Yeah... I just wish we'd never been, and will never be separated again."
He bit his bottom lip as his eyes searched the roof, then turned his head to the side to see Mya trying to make a nest in the blankets by his shoulder.
He smiled, scratched her a little, then let her resume what she was doing as he looked to the roof again.
"I don't mean to be... nosy or anything," he began with a frown, "and I know I really... I guess I didn't want me to know, but... I can't help but wonder. You know, what happened."
Mouse
"Trust me, mon cher, you don't want to know." Mouse shuddered slightly. "I don't even know the half of waht happened to you. You asked to forget for a very good reason..." She frowned slightly. "I got my nose broken, but Lauren healed that. There was general badness all round, but you seemed to attract more ofit then I did. Oh god!" She sat up suddenly, spilling Bets's head from her lap. "You won't know about...oh god." Bets whined reproachfully at her and Mouse stroked her head. "Sorry, Bets."
Taylor
Taylor sat up, his eyes fixed on her.
"Is there something I should know?" he asked, concerned.
He glanced at Bets, then at Mya who he'd disturbed again.
"That tone kind of worries me."
Mouse
Mouse rubbed her face with the palms of her hands. Then looked up. "Ok. Please don't scream. It's not a sound conducive to making your parents feel better about us moving out of here. You weren't eactly...cooperative to the bad guys. For which I am so proud of you by the way, even if you can't remember it. You kicked total ass. Um." Mouse took a breath. "You wouldn't use your power for them and stuff...so they were going to make a clone of you and Natalia is kinda pregnant with either your clone or your baby."
Taylor
Taylor almost choked on his own saliva.
He coughed, holding his chest as he tried to sort himself out.
"Ah... um... ok," his eyebrows rose with worry as he ran his fingers through his hair.
He looked towards Flavian and Meena before shifting back on the bed slightly and pulling his knees in to his chest.
"This, this is... woah. Do you, do you know anything about the ah... the 'virgin' factor?"
Mouse
Mouse raised an eyebrow in confusion, before realising what he meant. "There was zero horizontal MMMbopping between the two of you. Blakesley was icky that way. What the hell is with that guy? He just run around randomly impregnating women with weird science experiments? Hello, women are more then walking uteruses. Jerk. Swear to God that man is so dead when I find him." She bared her teeth.
Taylor
Taylor's face blushed bright red.
"Good to know," he crinkled his eyebrows.
He rested his folded arms on his knees, and hid his mouth behind his arms.
"This Blakesley guy sounds like a real... weirdo. Was he really that bad?"
Mouse
"Worse," Mouse said solemnly. "Much, much worse. You look at Natalia's feet? He tattoed his freaking initials onto the soles of her *feet*. Knowing him he didn't use anaesthetic either." She grimaced slightly. "That girl is carrying a lot of scars. You won't remember...cos of the mind wipey thing."
Taylor
Taylor flinched suddenly, a vision suddenly entering his mind.
His eyes widened.
His back straightened against the wall, as he took a deep breath trying to calm himself.
"Um... he did that to me," his voice croaked quietly, "but, no. I haven't seen her feet."
He ran his fingers through his hair vigorously.
"He cut his initials into my back. Oh man... I remembered. I remember Tanya said I'd have a few leaks but..."
He gulped as he looked down at his wrists.
Mouse
"God, Tay..." Mouse climbed back onto the bed and wrapped her arms around him. "I think I was out of range for that...that man is so dead. Several times over. I think I'll give him to the kitties and Spike. They'll teach him things he never knew about pain."
TaylorLau
Taylor covered his face with his hands for a moment, before hugging her back.
"Man, I feel like a little kid," he chuckled slightly, "I should be the one comforting you here. You're the one with..."
He hesitated, putting a hand on her stomach.
"...Extra cargo should we say."
Mouse
Mouse chuckled slightly, then sighed. "I just wish...that they were yours. You know. Instead of... My life is so screwed up. Everything in it, except for you...so ultimately messed up. I think God hates me sometimes. It's like, Mouse is actually getting ahead? No, we can't have that."
Taylor
Taylor lifted her shirt slightly and kissed her stomach softly.
"Well you know you'll always be ahead from where I am," he smiled.
Then he sighed, and shifted so he was laying with his head in her lap.
"Any idea for what I'm gonna say to dad about moving out?"
Mouse
"Well, I'd just say, bye I'm moving out you can use my room for a study or something, but I don't think that is exactly what you had in mind, is it?" Mouse grinned cheekily.
Taylor
"Not exactly, no," Taylor frowned.
"When you've lived with your family for over twenty years and you're best friends with your siblings it's kind of hard to say something like that."
He sighed again and looked over at Fafnir and Bets.
"I don't know. Dad's so stressed... about everything. I don't want to burden him further. But I need to get out as well."
He hesitated.
"I guess either way it goes I'll be burdening him. As long as I'm here he's worried about me in general, as well as everyone else in the house. If I go, he's going to be even more worried because he knows no one can watch me like a hawk."
Mouse
"Hawks...actually rather stupid birds, so having someone watch you like a hawk is not nessecarily a good thing." Mouse frowned. "Zac moved out. Course, he did move back in...and he left for kinda different reasons so you really can't go ask him for advice. Um. I'd just say be polite, tell him why you think you need to move and then do it." She shrugged. "People have never been my strong point, and families I know even less about, so I'm not the best person to ask for advice."
Taylor
"Yeah I know," Taylor sighed, "and I can't blame you. No one in their right mind would."
He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to think.
He opened them again to look at his wrists, then settled back and closed them again.
"This whole... lab thing is really bothering me. I'm starting to think about asking Tanya to restore the memories, but... if I do, I mean... I must have asked her to erase them for something, right? So if I get them back I'll probably want them erased again. And then that would be a total waste of... I don't know what to call it."
Mouse
"Her time?" Mouse suggested. "It was really, really bad, Tay. You got the memories erased so Avery wouldn't see them in your head. I know they whipped Natalia, I'm pretty sure they whipped you. I don't know what else happened...but it was pretty bad." She shuddered as she remembered when they had gone in to rescue Taylor. "You wouldn't even look at me...you didn't think I was real." Tears choked her voice.
Taylor
Taylor opened his eyes and looked up at her.
"Hey..." he began softly, moving his head a little as he reached up to her face.
He rubbed her cheek with his thumb, before pulling her down to kiss her.
"It's over, ok?" he began softly, "and yes, if we run into him again, he's going to regret whatever he did. But we can't dwell on the past. There's always tomorrow."
Mouse
And who says tomorrow is going to be any better then today? Mouse asked herself silently. "Yeah..." Mouse rubbed her face again. "Just...hold me please? I keep thinking you're gonna disappear on me, or something's gonna happen and I'll never see you again...It's just happened too often."
Taylor
Taylor smiled and sat up so that he could hug her to him.
"Four times," he said softly, before kissing her forehead.
"But I assure you that four times in one year is enough for a lifetime."
He hesitated, his thoughts taking over for a second. Dropping into his famous 'Taylor World' again, so his brothers called it.
Mouse
Mouse settled into his arms, thinking mostly paranoid thoughts. She giggled softly as she felt his emotional state and twisting around slightly to look in his eyes to confirm her suspicions, she nodded to herself. Yep. He was off with the pixies. She waved her hand in front of his eyes. "You know, you do that too often and I'm gonna get insulted..."
Taylor
"Sorry," Taylor chuckled as she woke him up.
"It's a habit. I'm a bit of a dreamer. I think it comes with being a musician."
He grinned.
"Or as some fans would say, being a Piscean or whatever you call it. Totally anti-superstitious band here."
Mouse
"Whatever you want to call it, it's odd." Mouse grinned. "It's kinda cute though. I wish I knew what you were thinking about though."
Taylor
"Well sometimes, even I don't know. So don't worry," he grinned, leaning in to kiss her again.
"It's easy to get inspired that way though. Not that there aren't a gazillion other ways as well."
Mouse
"You can be creative, and I'll just cheer you on from the sidelines. I can't wait to see you on stage." Mouse smiled at him and bounced slightly. "It's gonna be fun."
Taylor
Taylor rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"You haven't seen me onstage before, have you?" he chuckled.
"No, wait. Yes you did. You came to the Feb concert. Oh well, that's not exactly the same as a tour. We'll be doing radio and stuff too. Late night performances, then early morning radio shows. Fun."
Mouse
"Oh, sounds absolutely gripping, cher," Mouse said dryly. "Why are you doing this again? I mean the general music sensation thing, cos this is just part of what comes from being a famous band."
Taylor
"Yeah, but they always concentrate on the stuff that isn't important," Taylor complained.
"This time around it's going to be all 'oh, Zac cut his hair', 'do you have girlfriends yet?', 'how old are you, and are you still virgins?'," he went on in a ditzy voice.
Mouse
"Stop it or my ears will start to bleed. They are so entirely wrong. Annoying people. The thing that's important is the music, not the image." Mouse shook.
her head slightly. "They'll ask you about Taryn, you know..."
Taylor
"Yeah, that too," Taylor leant forward and leant his chin in his hands.
"I can only tell the truth. I never touched the girl. The worst part is that she does have access to me, because she's a teleporter. All it takes is for her to know where I am and 'poof!' she's there. There to brag she's having my baby and to kidnap my girlfriend."
His fist clenched slightly, before he grinned.
"And then they see me with you when you start to show more. 'There he goes again'..."
Mouse
Mouse stroked his hair. "I'm sorry," she said simply. "We'll work through this, we will. I could always just go, you know. Disappear from sight until the babies are born..."
Taylor
Taylor's hand shot out and grabbed her arm, harder than he meant to, as if she was going to leave just then.
"No way," he shook his head, easing off a bit.
"I don't know how I lasted those times without you by my side. I couldn't do it any longer."
Mouse
"I love you," Mouse whispered. "I wonder how you see that in me. Something worth loving. I won't leave unless something takes me."
Taylor
"Love isn't something I question," Taylor replied seriously.
"When you question, it becomes complicated. And sometimes the feelings disappear. But I don't want that to happen."
He looked up at her.
"I'm not sure how it could, but you know. To me you're worth everything."
Mouse
"Are we getting mushy or is just me?" Mouse smiled slightly. "I love you, and you love me. That's all I need to know. But it's nice to hear it occasionally."
Right, you are done with that sappy nonsense now, aren't you? Fafnir inquired.
Hush, wolf. Bets scolded him lightly.
Taylor
"This is nothing compared to some nights..." he went dreamy for a moment.
He suddenly shook his head, bringing himself back to reality.
"We didn't get to do anything for your birthday. And for that matter, mine either. Maybe we should do something..."
Mouse
"Eh, I wouldn't know what to do." Mouse shrugged. "Could be fun though..."
Taylor
"Let's face it," Taylor sat up, "whatever we do, it'll be together. That's fun enough for me."
He hesitated for a moment, deep in thought.
"Maybe we could just take my bike out for a while one day, unless we go while on tour. Maybe we could just go for a walk wherever we are or something."
He looke dup, seeking confirmation.
Mouse
"Sounds perfect," Mouse agreed softly. "Just you and me..."
We're coming as well. We;ll stay out of sight, but we're coming. Fafnir said firmly from the floor. Mouse poked him with her foot and he rolled over so she could scratch his tummy.
"Brat."
'M not a brat. I'm just concerned.
Taylor
"We know you are, Faf'," Taylor smiled, leaning down to stroke the wolf's fur.
"No one knows it better than we do."
Mouse
"I love you all so much," Mouse said softly.
We love you too, Pack. Fafnir said fondly.
Yes, sweet girl. You're Pack. Mouse smiled.