Zack’s P.O.V

I was home... I was back in Huntington... and I was prepared to face Erin.. fuck she was probably pissed. When I walked into the house Erin had just set her bag down on the floor.

"Honey" I said and she jumped and turned around and you could see a little excitement before she stepped forward and I don't think she was sure I was really here. After a moment Erin dropped and passed out into my arms from the shock and Ellie gasped and came over to us and I just picked her up and Ellie followed me and watched as I put Erin into bed. Izzy didn’t follow because I knew that she was still sore on the subject of me… I couldn’t blame her if she hated me… I couldn’t blame Erin if she also hated me. We came back down and Ellie sat in the chair across the room

“You left… what made you come back?” Ellie asked and I sighed.

“I realized that I was selfish and that I left her with nothing… I love her and I just realized that I needed to come back and talk this out” I said and just looked at Erin.. she was so beautiful… I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

“While I am glad that you are back Zack you should come downstairs with me and talk to Izzy and we will get you caught up on the… recent events…” Ellie said and I just turned my gaze to her and the kissed Erin’s cheek and walked out the door and downstairs where Izzy glared at me the whole time.

“Izzy enough with the glares” Nina said getting really pissy with Izzy and I just put my hand up.

“Nina she has every right to be mad at me… I’ve fucked up pretty bad lately” I said admitting my mistakes even though I knew that this wasn’t going to help.

“Admitting it doesn’t mean that you aren’t gonna run off on her again… do you realize that you
hurt her to no end? She is a mess and her plan is shit right now” Izzy said and she took a huge breath and got up and came over and pushed my shoulder taking me off guard.

“AND ANOTHER THING YOU MISSED THE BIRTH OF RIVER! NOT TO MENTION MY DAUGHTER RAVEN!!! AND IF YOU EVER HURT ERIN AGAIN I SWEAR TO GOD YOU WILL FEEL MY FUCKING WRATH BUT RIGHT NOW I MISSED HAVING YOU AROUND AND IT IS JUST SO GOO D THAT YOU ARE BACK!!! AND OH MY GOD WHY AM I STILL YELLING!!???” Izzy yelled and everyone just laughed as she let everything off of her chest and I just sat there because I really did miss everything…

“Calm down Iz” I said getting up and hugging her while she was breathing shallowly. Soon her breathing returned to normal and I sat her down on the couch and smiled.

“Tell me what I missed miss Iz” I said and she smiled and got excited to tell.

“Well Erin delivered my daughter Raven and Ellie of course delivered Matt and Val’s son River… those are the two most important things. You should see them.. they are just the cutest children ever and they get along so well with Colby… he is a doll.. he took after you in so many ways Zack it is just incredible… he got Erin’s smiled though” She said and I was just nothing but excited to see my son again. I was smiling but then I saw Izzy get serious.

“There is one other thing… Erin went off the grid and just returned today actually” Izzy said and I was confused.

“What drove her away?” I asked.

“Jake came after Erin… and basically it became a fight to the death… let’s just say that he crossed her and she cut off his head” Izzy said boldly.

“Wow way to be blunt about it Izzy” Ellie said and Izzy just started laughing.

“Anyways right before it happened Erin wanted us to send Raven and River to Heaven and so I am pretty sure that she knows that Papa Gates will go after anything and everything that she loves or cares about… she has been through hell Zack.. she needs you” Izzy said and I just felt really terrible for everything that I had done. I didn’t want this for her..

Erin’s P.O.V

I woke up in a daze because I honestly thought that this was a dream… I wasn’t sure if I should really believe that Zack is here… and how do I feel about it? I sat up and just breathed in deeply and sighed when I let it out and got up and ran to the bathroom staring at myself in the mirror.

“Ah Jeeze… I love the man… do I just enjoy him being back… or do I hate him for leaving me?” I asked myself and cried a little. I brushed out the knots in my hair and thought about when we first kissed… the connection that I felt for him… then I went back even further… to when we first met.

“Damn him… I honestly I hate that I love you so” I said and I adjusted myself and then changed into new skinny jeans and a black tank top and proceeded down stairs to Izzy sitting and talking with Zack.. it was really nice to see them getting along. Izzy saw me and then Zack
turned as well and smiled… that smile…

“You are making it very hard for me to stay mad at you” I said softly and he stood up and came around to the back of the couch… it was weird… being with him after so long..

“I know I fucked up Erin… but I love you and I realized that I love you and I can’t live without you and Colby” He said and I just sighed and ran over and hugged him tightly and just took his touch in… his scent.. I could feel every single emotion that he was feeling.

“Ummm not to interrupt but… could you turn of the bright light that the two of you are radiating!” Izzy said and we turned and the light went dim.

“What the hell” Ellie said loudly and Christina sat there smiling like a big baby.

“THE CONNECTION!!!” She yelled and shot out of her seat and I grabbed Zack’s face and I kissed him deeply not caring what light we were shedding, who we were with… or what was happening. I loved this man… I have loved him from day one and I was meant to be with him and only him.

“OKAY! WE GET IT YOU ARE IN LOVE!” The three girls said in unison and I laughed and just stared into Zack’s eyes while holding onto his arms. I ran my hands up his warm skin and he took my breath away no matter what.

“Ya know there is one thing that I was thinking about Erin” Izzy said randomly and I turned to her with my hands still on Zack.

“What??” I asked.

“If Papa Gates had everything planned out like he said… then do you think he knew you were gonna kill Jake?” She asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

“But that would mean that he has been watching all along” I said and she nodded.

“Which means that he was waiting for something big to happen… like Zack’s return.. I think that we should tread lightly… this is gonna get messy” She said and I nodded.

“I just hope that I can figure out what he is up to…” I said.

Izzy was right…

He was coming…

Notes