"Thanks, Tony," Natalie said.
Tony nodded and disappeared. Natalie knocked on the door of Taylor and Isaac's home. It wasn't long before Isaac answered it.
"Hi Nat," he said. "Come on in."
"Thanks," she said, following him inside.
Taylor
Taylor immediately got up from the couch when he heard who it was and made his way out to greet her.
"Hey Nat," he smiled, extending his hand.
"Good to see you again. How's your week been?"
Natalie and Isaac
"Oh good," Natalie replied. "I've got a job interview on Thursday for a part time position at a health spa, which I'm really looking forward to."
"That's great," Isaac said. "Good luck, I hope you get it."
"Thanks."
Taylor
"Same here," Taylor nodded.
He indicated the living room.
"Shall we?" he raised an eyebrow.
Natalie and Isaac
"Sure," Natalie nodded.
"I'll leave you two alone then," Isaac nodded. "And if I don't see you again before you leave, see ya, Natalie."
Natalie grinned.
"See ya," she replied.
Isaac left and Natalie followed Taylor into the living room.
Taylor
Taylor waited until Natalie was seated before taking his place next to her. He'd already taken the liberty of preparing drinks and some snacks for afterward.
"So... here we go," he sighed, holding out his hand.
Natalie
Natalie took Taylor's hand and started focusing her power, after a moment she tilted her head to the side, frowned a little in thought, then met Taylor's eyes.
"Has something happened?" she asked. "It feels a little different. Like one tension has left, but been replaced with another..."
Taylor
Taylor immediately looked away, trying not to look embarrassed. He hadn't been sure if she'd be able to pick up on it or not.
"Kind of," he admitted.
"Don't be too worried or anything."
Natalie
Natalie raised her eyebrows.
"I wasn't until you said that," she responded. "What happened? It can't be all bad."
Taylor
"Well Tad's gone, that's a start," Taylor shrugged.
"I'll be thankful if I never have to see his face again."
Natalie
"Oh that's good," Natalie agreed. "He was being rather effective at undoing my hard work. Well, only a little bit each week, relative to how much I was fixing, but it was starting to get on my nerves."
Taylor
"You're not the only one whose nerves he was getting on," Taylor insisted.
"Though coming from me that would be a major understatement."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"Guess so," she agreed. "Well, I'm glad that's over. More or less."
She wondered if she should press the issue of what the replacement tension was. But then, Taylor had already been pretty open with her already about other things. May be best not to. After all, if it was important, Taylor would probably tell her. Maybe it was just worry of his alterego showing up at the worst possible moment.
Taylor
"So are we," Taylor agreed.
"Not that any amount of freedom I could have gained counts for anything at the moment."
Natalie
Natalie looked at him curiously.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Taylor
Taylor bit his bottom lip.
It was going to come out sooner or later. She'd eventually notice he hadn't gone anywhere for months anyway.
"Promise you won't think less of me?" he looked into her eyes pleadingly.
Natalie
Natalie blinked.
"Tay," she said softly, "it would have to be pretty bad for that to happen."
But then she supposed that it would have to be bad if he was saying that.
"Like abuse your girlfriend or something," she clarified.
He didn't have a girlfriend, right? Because if that was the case she may have just put her foot in it.
Taylor
Taylor hesitated a moment, his eyes falling to the floor.
"I don't have a girlfriend," he admitted.
"However I did have a fiance until mid last year."
He closed his eyes, then took a deep breath.
"I'm under house arrest," he finally admitted, "because I know some things I'm not willing to tell the authorities."
And suddenly he couldnt even look at her.
Natalie
"I see..." Natalie said.
She wasn't really sure what to say. House arrest? What wasn't he telling them?
Taylor
"Sorry," rubbed his forehead, berating himself.
"I don't want to drag you into it or anything. Just... I guess you had to know anyway. Mainly because I won't be going anywhere for six months."
Natalie
"Okay, fair enough," Natalie replied. "Thanks for the heads up."
She wasn't really sure what else to say.
Taylor
"Not without an escort anyway," Taylor shrugged.
He hesitated for a moment, trying to think of something to change the subject with. He doubted that she'd want to talk about it much more than he did.
"So... what's happening with the job you're getting?"
Natalie
"Oh, well, the health spa is expanding its facilities, including their massage department. They haven't advertised for jobs yet, there was just an announcement in the paper that they were going ahead with this expansion. I decided to get in before the rush and apply. Well, I imagine that a few other people had the same idea... but that's not the pont," Natalie giggled. "Anyway, so they're obviously interested otherwise I wouldn't have been offered an interview."
Taylor
Taylor smiled, mainly from relief - but also because he liked her laugh.
"Sounds cool," he nodded.
"Full time?"
Natalie
Natalie shook her head.
"Part time," she replied. "Which will mean I'll still be able to come here."
She paused.
"Although, I don't know what days yet, so we may have to change days..."
Taylor
"It's cool," Taylor shrugged.
"It's not like I have anything else planned."
He rubbed his eyes, feeling tired already. When he took a glance at the clock he saw they'd only been there ten or fifteen minutes.
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"True," she said.
She was quiet for a moment, having no idea what to talk about next.
"So... you said something about having a fiancé?"
Now why did she ask that? Natalie hoped Taylor wouldn't think she was prying...
Taylor
Taylor took another deep breath and leant his head back into the couch.
"Yeah," he sighed.
"We went through a lot together. Her name was Jane. Jane Hall."
He couldn't even stop his voice cracking when he said her name.
Natalie
"What happened?" then Natalie added quickly: "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry. Don't feel obligated to tell me, I'm just being nosy."
She offered a rueful smile.
Taylor
"It's ok," Taylor shook his head slightly.
He hesitated a moment, then closed his eyes trying not to yawn.
"Car accident. No one made it out. She had three kids as well."
Natalie
"Oh no," Natalie said. "That's terrible. I'm sorry."
She gave his hand a little squeeze of sympathy.
Taylor
"You don't know the half of it," Taylor couldn't help but chuckle.
He bit his lip in the short silence that followed.
"But thanks for trying anyway."
Natalie
"It's okay," Natalie replied.
Loosing his finacee like that certainly wouldn't have helped his present condition. And his kids. Funny, how Zac and Taylor could have children without it getting out. She wondered if Isaac had any children secreted away somewhere.
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"We're each working to get over our losses. It's just harder for some than others..." he trailed off.
Then he took a deep breath, trying to think of a way to change the subject.
Natalie
"True," Natalie said agreeably.
A little uncertain as to what to say next, Natalie found her eyes looking around the room.
"Still unpacking I see."
Taylor
"Not... actively," Taylor smiled, rubbing his eyes.
"I think we're likely to just leave everything until we need it. Although having a lot of time on my hands now I might be forced to sort everything out."
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"It'll give you something to do," she agreed. "Something to occupy your mind."
Then she stifled a yawn.
Taylor
"I know what you mean," Taylor couldn't help but chuckle.
"Both things."
He looked at the clock again, and was glad to see that they were over the halfway mark.
"But if it's any consolation, I definitely feel better afterwards."
Natalie
"Well, that's good," Natalie nodded. "Hopefully it means that this is the solution to your, uhh, little problem and you'll never have to deal with that again."
Taylor
"I definitely hope so," Taylor insisted.
"For more than one reason."
Then he realised what he said and suddenly blushed.
Natalie
Natalie noticed him blushing and was a little confused.
"What?" she asked.
Taylor
"Nothing," Taylor insisted, shaking hair out of his eyes.
"So ah... I guess you've gathered we won't be touring for a while."
He couldn't help but pull a face.
"The hard part's going to be the explanation."
Natalie
Natalie raised her eyebrows.
"Just give the same explanation you always give," she said, with a hint of cheekiness in her voice, "We're working on the new album. We hope to get it out soon. Thanks to all the fans who have been standing by us, so on, so forth."
She gave him a wink.
"And then you can add some truth to it by recording something. I'm sure you guys have a stack of recording equipment. Sure, you'll have to do it all here, but yeah. Or alternatively, Isaac and Zac could just tell everyone that you've gone on a quest to find yourself, and this involves becoming a recluse," Natalie paused. "Or they could tell them you're in rehab."
Taylor
"Rehab?" Taylor's own eyebrows rose.
"For what?"
Natalie
Natalie giggled.
"Just say 'rehab' and then see what the speculators say," she said. "Orrr they could say that you're really aliens and that you're having treatments for - ooooh... You guys could always say that you've got cancer. I mean, you do have treatments - they're just not cancer treatments, and it would explain the lack of touring."
Taylor
"You're getting very creative all of a sudden," Taylor pointed out.
"But I'm not exactly one to play on sympathy, much less let people know everything about me."
Natalie
"Well, number one, you're not telling them what's going on about you," Natalie pointed out. "You're fabricating an excuse for why you can't aren't producing anything at the moments. You can't exactly tell everyone that you're under house arrest - they'll be no human records of that occurence. Number two, if you don't want to play the cancer card, go with rehab. That'll make people talk about you for a completely different reason. But sooner or later you guys are going to have to say something, or look for alternate careers for a few years and then do some big 'comeback' tour."
Taylor
"We'll probably go with the whole 'album problems' thing, but thanks anyway," Taylor insisted.
"Unless of course this lasts more than six months, which it very well could... In which case we'll just have to say we were taking a break."
Then he hesitated, considering that.
"Actually... I don't know if I could go that long without it."
Natalie
"Without what?" Natalie asked, a little confused.
Maybe it was because she was getting tired.
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"Music," he said.
"Performing. Sharing music in general. Going out and seeing other bands. Even... dare I say it, touring."
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"That's because it's a part of you," she said. "I imagine it would be quite like trying to give up air, or food and water. Well, that would be my original idea, and advice: you guys probably have a ton of recording equipment - work on your album at home. I'm sure you could put together something great. And hey, in six months - if this is going the trick - your alterego should be well under control by then."
If nothing else happened. If her estimate of progress was correct.
Taylor
"Yeah, hopefully," Taylor agreed.
"I must admit a certain feeling of pessimism toward it, though I wouldn't say it was justified. But even though we don't exactly have all the equipment we'd need here now, we can get it easily enough. I like the way your mind works."
Natalie
Natalie smiled.
"Thanks," she said.
For some reason, his approval meant a lot to her, although she was unwilling to say so aloud.
Taylor
Taylor looked her over for a moment, then smiled to himself.
"You know what my power is, right?"
Natalie
"Tongue, isn't it?" Natalie inquired, looking mildly uncomfortable as she did when her fandom came up, "I kinda looked it up when I found our you guys were Daths too..."
Taylor
"I figured you might have," Taylor shrugged it off.
"It includes reading pheremones, which is sort of like empathy but not."
Natalie
"Oh okay," Natalie replied, frowning a little. "That must be... interesting... I thought Tongue was about interpretting languages."
Taylor
"Well in certain ways, they are a language," Taylor's eyebrows rose.
"For example, it's how I talk to trees."
Then he chuckled, realising how odd it sounded aloud.
Natalie
Natalie raised her eyebrows.
"You talk to trees," she said slowly. "Oookay..."
Taylor
"Well they're not very conversational," Taylor admitted, "and they don't have minds or anything so conversation would be... nevermind."
He scratched is eyebrow.
"I know it sounds weird, and I admit if I stop and think about it too much it freaks me out too."
Natalie
Natalie giggled.
"Okay," she said. "For a moment then I was wondering if you had been hitting the funny weed. But I would have realised if that had been the case. Certain drugs do damage to ones emotional well being. Everything that causes damage leaves a signature, some more ditinct than others."
Taylor
Taylor raised an eyebrow at that.
"Really?"
He stole another glance at the clock.
"Are you the kind of empath that can tell when someone's lying too?"
Natalie
Natalie frowned.
"Not exactly..." she said. "I can sense when someone is feeling guilty about lying though."
Taylor
"Guess I'll have to work on that then," Taylor grinned almost cheekily.
"I normally can't help but feel guilty if I lie."
Natalie
Natalie giggled.
"Plus, it's not good for you," she said. "Guilt can wreck havock when stewed on in your emotional psyche."
Taylor
"Well... I guess that might be part of it then, huh," Taylor shrugged.
He hesitated again, wondering if he should ask her what he was about to.
"If you don't mind my asking... you took this job pretty freely and without doubts. Can I ask why?"
Natalie
Natalie shrugged.
"I guess I just like to help people," she said.
Taylor
"Well you're more than helping me," Taylor smiled.
"And I know I've said it, but I can't thank you enough. Even when it seems like every week you learn something that could possibly turn you away from it, you still come. I admire that."
Natalie
"I think that everyone has something about themselves that they think will turn people away," Natalie replied. "It doesn't worry me - at least, not too much."
She paused for a moment, then grinned cheekily.
"Besides, I need the money."
Taylor
"When you get this job you won't," Taylor shrugged.
"But if my senses are in tune, it seems as though you're planning to stick around anyway."
Natalie
Natalie chuckled.
"Yeah," she said. "No intension here of leaving you in the lurch."
Taylor
Taylor squeezed her hand a little after she laughed, before looking at the clock again.
"I guess time's up," he couldn't help but sound a little disappointed.
Natalie
Natalie glanced at the clock as well.
"So it is," she agreed.
She began shutting down her power usage slowly. Abrupt severing was bad.
Taylor
"I actually made us something substancial for lunch this time," Taylor informed her.
"Isaac will probably join us when he hears it's time. If he hasn't eaten his share already."
Natalie
Natalie giggled.
"Cool," she said.
A few moments later, she let go of Taylor's hand, and reached for the glass of water on the table. She nearly emptied the glass, gave a satisfied "ahh", and then smiled at Taylor.
"Thanks," she said.
Taylor
"Least I can do," Taylor insisted, standing up.
He grabbed his own glass and made for the kitchen, taking a quick glance into the oven.
Good, the lasagne hadn't been touched.
Natalie and Isaac
"Mmm, that smells nice," Natalie said.
That was the moment that Isaac poked his head in.
"Are you guys ready to eat that yet?" He asked. "I've been waiting..."
Taylor
"And guess who shows up just in time," Taylor raised his eyebrows, opening the oven door before grabbing the nearby mits.
"Yes Ike, we are."
Isaac and Natalie
"Yay!" Isaac said cheerfully.
Natalie smiled at his childishness, and then took a seat at the table.