Finding Out Hallie Left
[Zach]
Zach and Hope had returned home after Ellie said she would watch the kids after the after party and so that they could get some time together. His held her hand as they drove home and he already knew that her outfit wasn’t going to last on her long after being a tease almost all night. “When we get home, don’t go anywhere.”
[Hope]
Hope looked at Zach as she heard his words and just bit her lip, “I told you I have to wash our clothes from the bachelor party. The alcohol soaked our clothes, not to mention all that blood.” She told him as she crossed her legs and her skirt came up.
[Zach]
“Yeah and we can wash them later.” He smirked before parking and getting out of the car. Zach could tell something was different as he looked towards the house. “Where is Hallie?” He asks as he was side tracked by the lingering scent that was slowly fading.
[Hope]
“Sure.” She laughed slightly before getting out of the car as well. She grabbed her purse before closing the door. She heard his question and went silent as she leaned against the door.
[Zach]
He turned to look at Hope as she stayed quiet. “Where is our daughter?” He asks as his eyes glowed bright red and he looked at the scent trail. Zach didn’t wait a second longer before going to follow it.
[Hope]
Hope moved to stop him. “You need to let her take some time away Zach. Seeing you will only hurt her. She needs time Zach. Just let her have that. She will come back when she is ready.”
[Zach]
“What are you talking about? You just let her run away from everyone? She needs us, she can’t be alone. Yeah and we said her going to a different school would be better for her and she tried to kill herself. We need to be there so that that doesn’t happen again. I won’t let that happen again.”
[Hope]
“I don’t think she is alone, Zach. You don’t think I want her to be here? But sometimes we aren’t enough. Sometimes we can’t give her what she needs. My parents couldn’t. After what happened all I wanted was you and my dad fucking drive himself crazy trying to fix things for me. We can’t fix everything.”
[Zach]
Zach couldn’t even think straight as he sort of wasn’t listening but halfway was. “What? What do you mean? We are her parents Hope. I am not going to fail her like this. It’s not…no.” He said as his eyes flashed different colors.
[Hope]
“Fuck….Zach you know why she would want to leave. It has nothing to do with us and it was nothing we could control. She just needs space.” Hope tried to keep her emotions under control as she moved to make him look at her. “You didn’t fail her. You are not failing her. She just feels like she failed you. She just doesn’t want anyone to hate her anymore.”
[Zach]
“What? Everything seemed fine when we left this morning…is that why you told me to say goodbye to her again? You knew she was leaving?” He asks.
[Hope]
“She was already packed when I went in there. She just said one of us should know. I…I thought if I got you to go back in you would see or she would tell you. She made me promise not to tell you, but I figured if you saw it on your own I wouldn’t be breaking it.”
[Zach]
“I am her father, I should have said something. I heard the rustling around but I was hoping it was just my mind playing tricks on me. That is literally part of being her father. She is our baby girl and I let her down…I let her down.” His eyes turned bright blue.
[Hope]
“No, no you didn’t Zach. You know you didn’t. You are her hero. You always have been. And you were there for her. She knew what she needed and she is doing it. We just…we just have to give it time and she will be back before we know it.”
[Zach]
“So this isn’t permanent?”He lets out a sigh of relief. “Okay that, that I can deal with. I thought you meant she was leaving and not coming back.” He tells her before heading inside to get a bottle of rum out from the cabinet.
[Hope]
“She said she was coming back. She said she hoped to be back before Henry’s prom. I mean that’s still a while away but at least it’s a date.” Hope sighed softly as she followed after him and she closed the door behind her. She looked at the table and saw letters. She moved into the kitchen and saw him grabbing a bottle. “I think this one is for you Zach.”
[Zach]
Zach flicked open the cap and took a swig of the alcohol before hearing Hope’s words. “I…that’s three years away?” He sighed. “And she doesn’t want us to ever visit?”
[Hope]
“You know if we visit you will just ask her to come home. She doesn’t want us knowing where she is at all.” Hope just stayed silent as she opened up her letter and then saw Henry’s name. “There’s not one for Emmett.” She said softly. “Do we tell him? About her and the…the baby?”
[Zach]
“No, we don’t tell him. I promised her I wouldn’t tell David or Emmett about what happened. It’s up to her to tell them if she wants to. And not necessarily when she was on the ship I let her stay there for however long she needed.” He sighed.
[Hope]
She smiled softly at her letter before putting it back in the envelope. “I understand that but…Emmett might have just lost his first child. We are still his parents too. He…doesn’t he deserve to know?”
[Zach]
“The baby wouldn’t have been his. He was safe in that regard. It’s best to not bring it up until they know for sure. I mean it couldn’t have been his right? Jezz. I don’t want to know.”
[Hope]
Hope stayed silent as she just looked at him before looking down at the letters. “Well at least we know it wasn’t real. What they felt for each other. I mean that’s a…positive at least?” She said before getting up and placing the letters in the mail bin.
[Zach]
“You know feelings are more complicated than that. Some people run away, others dive head first. You know how freaked out I was when I thought I was actually falling in love. It was something I didn’t think would happen. I am sure he didn’t think the first time he felt something would be with Hallie. But hopefully it wasn’t.”
[Hope]
“Well that’s not true. You told me you loved me first. I didn’t say it to you. I don’t think falling in love freaked you out. I think rejection did.” She said before shrugging. “I know Hallie knows what she felt was real. But it is probably for the best that it ended this way. I don’t want her running around an island alone, but…I don’t want her thinking she is in love with two people either.”
[Zach]
“Right…well we should go and see Henry. There is something going on he wanted to talk to us about. We can bring him the letter as well. I am sure he wants to read it.”
[Hope]
“I need to get out of this dress. But I will be back soon.” She told him before heading upstairs. She unzipped her dress and slid into something more comfortable. She put her hair up before heading back downstairs. “Ready.”
[Zach]
Zach sighed before taking another drink and then going to the nearby bathroom and changing his own clothes. He came out of the bathroom and nodded his head. “Alright, let’s go.” Zach grabbed Henry’s letter and handed it to Hope before heading to the car.
[Hope]
“Zach you just drank a lot, let me drive.” She told him before handing him Henry and his letter. “Just relax. It’s my car anyway.” She smiled softly before heading into the car.
[Zach]
“Yeah okay sure.” He says before giving her the keys and taking the letters. “Well I am glad that you like the car then.” Zach cracked a smile before getting inside.
[Hope]
“Baby.” She said as they got in the car. She leaned over and kissed him deeply before pulling away slightly. “I love the car. Thank you.”
[zach]
Zach took her hand after kissing her back. “Now I just have to figure out how to one up a car for a birthday present.” He jokes with a small laugh.
[Hope]
“I can think of a few ways baby.” She teased before driving to Henry’s school.
