Strength Of The World

It had been a few weeks since the Halloween party, and Thanksgiving was quickly approaching. Peyton was finishing up her shift at the pediatrician's office on Tuesday afternoon and was walking out to her car when she noticed it. There were rose petals on the hood, and all four of her tires were slashed. She went into full panic mode and darted for the back door of the building. She almost made it before a hand grabbed her arm. "I told you I'd be back." Jason said viciously. "Fucking let go of me, Jason!" Peyton screamed, hoping someone would hear her. "You're coming with me, bitch." He started pulling her toward a dark van when she started screaming for help. Without warning, Jason turned around and punched her in the mouth. "Shut the fuck up!" He shouted, gripping her arm even harder than before. Peyton whimpered from the pain in her arm and now her mouth but obeyed. They were almost to the van when four police cars pulled into the parking lot, blocking Jason in on all sides. "LET HER GO!" An officer shouted, drawing his gun from his holster. "Peyton. Get in the fucking van." Jason growled. "I'm not fucking going anywhere with you." Peyton said as she swung her left arm around as hard as she could, hitting him right on the side of his face, her ring cutting his skin. He released her arm and she took the chance to run toward the officer, tears streaming down her face. The other three placed Jason in handcuffs and stuffed him in the back of a squad car, a sick smile on his face the entire time. "Ma'am? Ma'am?" The officer said, grabbing Peyton's attention. "Are you okay? Do you need an ambulance? Is there someone you'd like for us to call?" "No. I'm okay. Is he going to go to jail?" She asked weakly. "My fiancée. Zack. I can call him." She said, trying to pull Zack's number up. Her hands were shaking so bad she dropped her phone and shattered the screen. "Shit." She whispered, a fresh set of tears streaming down her face. "It's okay, ma'am. And yes, he's going to jail. What's your fiancee's number? I'll give him a call for you." He asked, pulling out his phone.

Zack was with the guys when he received the phone call that Peyton had been attacked, but was okay. Zack immediately hung up the phone and darted toward the door, not saying a word to anyone. The rest of the group looked around in confusion, until Johnny said one word. "Peyton." They all sprang to their feet and piled into Matt's SUV, following Zack to the office. He was already out of his car and headed toward her when they all got there, and every single one of their hearts broke when they saw her. She had tears streaming down her face, looked scared to death, and was running toward Zack as fast as she could. Once she reached him she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and sobbed uncontrollably. "Baby. You're okay. I got you." Zack kept repeating. The officer who was helping her walked over to Zack, and was trying to explain the situation to him but he couldn't hear anything other than Peyton. All he cared about was that she was okay, and the baby was okay. By now the guys had all joined them, and Brian's heart felt like it was going to break. "Peanut?" He whispered softly, placing his hand on her back. She lifted her head off Zack's chest to look at him, and he was pretty sure his heart actually broke when he saw the look on her face. "Oh sis." He said as she left Zack's arms and crumpled into his, crying all over again. Brian was trying to calm her down while the officer repeated everything to Zack, and explained that Jason was going to jail for violating the restraining order and attempted kidnapping. Zack thanked the officer for his help and he left, making sure to give Zack his card before doing so. Once the officer was gone, Matt called a tow truck to take Peyton's Jeep to their local mechanic so the tires could be replaced. Brian helped Peyton into Zack's car, and once he made sure she was calmed down, he told Zack he would be by tomorrow, and suggested that the rest of the guys give her a little space as well.

Once Zack and Peyton got home they went straight to their bedroom. Peyton was exhausted and wanted to lie down, and Zack wasn't letting her leave his sight. He felt so guilty that Jason was able to get to her at work. After they had been laying there for an hour or so, he heard Peyton's soft voice. "I thought I was never going to see you again." She sniffled. "He was going to hurt me. And probably the baby if he had found out." Zack placed his had on her growing bump protectively and kissed her forehead. "I don't think he found out though. He never said anything." She said anxiously. "Baby, I was so scared." Zack admitted, tears forming into his own eyes. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you." "Maybe I should just not go to work for a while." She whispered. "I don't want to go back there. Not for a while at least." "Then you stay home. Or you go with us to the studio. Or hang out with your parents or the girls. Whatever you want to do babe. I'm with you all the way." "Right now I want to eat." She giggled as her tummy growled. "How about Mexican? I'll have it delivered." Zack suggested with a smile. "That sounds delicious." They ordered their dinner and ate in bed, neither one of them wanting to leave the comfort and safety of their room. The spent the rest of the evening in bed watching old movies, eventually falling asleep in eachother's arms.

The next morning, Peyton was awoken by someone knocking on the door. "Oh Bakers! Open up!" The voice said in a singsong voice. Peyton groaned loudly. "Do you think if we ignore him he'll leave?" She asked Zack, who was laying beside her laughing. "I doubt it baby. Plus he has a key." He pointed out. The knocking started again, this time it was more like beating on the door. "Come on guys. You better not be fornicating in there, that's what got us into this mess in the first place." The voice said sarcastically. Peyton huffed and threw the covers back on the bed, stomping down the stairs to open the door. "Johnny, you're a fucking cockhole." She grumbled, turning around to go back up the stairs. "But I brought you breakfast!" He said brightly, holding up the Chick Fil A bag in one hand and an orange juice in the other. Peyton stopped on the second step, turned around and headed toward Johnny. She snatched the bag and orange juice out of his hands, grumbled a thanks, and headed for the kitchen. "Jeeze Peyton, I love you too." He scoffed. "Hey! Fucking watch it you little shit!" He said as a shoe went right by his head. Zack came down the stairs laughing. "Damn ZV, what'd you do to your girl?" Johnny asked him. "I didn't do anything. You on the other hand, woke her up." Zack pointed out. "Yeah. But I brought her breakfast." Johnny shrugged, following his friend into the kitchen and sitting on a bar stool beside Peyton, who was inhaling her breakfast burrito. "Dude are you going to breathe?" He asked sarcastically, then put his hands up and leaned backward a little when Peyton turned to him and glared. "Okay, nevermind. Proceed. Anyway. What are you fucks up to today?" He asked Zack, who was making his own breakfast at the stove. "I don't know yet. Maybe just relax at home." He replied. "No." Peyton spoke up, which surprised both Zack and Johnny. "If I stay home I'll start thinking and if I start thinking I'll start freaking out and I don't want to freak out." She rambled. "Okay, so how about a zoo trip?" Johnny suggested. "There's a few baby gorillas that Lacey has been wanting to see." "Baby gorillas?" Peyton gushed. "Why am I just now learning about this?" "So, zoo trip it is." Zack chuckled. "Great! I'll head home and let Lace know she needs to get ready. I'll call the others and see if they're down." Johnny said, standing up and heading for the door. "Hey Gremlin?" Peyton said shyly. "What's up P?" "Thanks for breakfast. And I'm okay." She replied, smiling at her old friend. Johnny walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. "I was
so worried about you." He whispered. "I love you too, Johnny." She whispered back. He gave her a quick squeeze before he released her and headed out the door. Zack and Peyton finished their breakfast before heading upstairs to get ready for their day at the zoo.

Notes

I hope this chapter kind of makes up for my absence!!!