Chapter 52: Never Expected

POV: Zac

Word Count: 3291

November 3, 2009

We were suppose to head to Denver today and play but they called us at nine last night and said the venue had flooded and they were going to postpone the show and had made all the required announcements. They rescheduled us for the sixth so that gave a few days and since we had to pass Tulsa anyway, we made the decision to be dropped off and we’d head up after a few days. I didn’t mind because I wanted to see Gabby.

Because I knew just waltzing into the house at 2 am could get my own ass beaten by Jack, I called them both and told them I would be home sometime during the night. Gabby said to call when I arrived and so did Jack.

“Rest of the crew is going on to Denver.” Ike said.

“Okay. Gabby and Jack know to expect me.”

“Any issues since Chase attacked him?”

“Nope. He hasn’t sent her any messages, hasn’t sent any gifts. She did finally tell me that Jacob sent her an apology and confession. I’m wondering if it is him but from what he told her, he didn’t know about the spiders and Jacob did.”

“Did the DNA come in?”

“Yes! They got DNA from Chase’s fingernails but no match in the system. So, we have his DNA but he’s never been arrested.”

“Doesn’t that knock out some of the suspects?”

“Yes. Because some have been arrested or printed for their jobs. But, it still left more than they liked to admit.”

“Understandable. Maybe Chase scared him off permanently.”

“Maybe, I can only hope.”

The driver didn’t agree to take us each home so he dropped us off at Isaac’s place since it was on his way, Taylor and I took a cab to our places. The driver dropped me off at just after 1:30 and I called Jack on the way, he was awake and waiting on me when I arrived.

“Gabby fell asleep but she said to wake her up when you got here so she’d know you were here.”

“Ok. You’ve been here so long why don’t you head home? I’ll be here until the morning of the sixth, we’re going to fly up.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep. She’ll be fine with me home. Our flight is like 9 am so by then Sierra or Abby will be here.”

“I get to sleep in my own bed!” he exclaimed.

I giggled and he got ready to leave, I did go up and despite not wanting to I woke Gabby up to let her know I was here. She started to get up but I stopped her.

“I’m sending Jack home, once he’s safely on his way I’m going to take a hot shower and then come to bed. Just go back to sleep.”

I kissed her forehead and she curled back up with that pillow, she was cocooned in blankets and pillows. She was back asleep pretty quickly and I sat with Jack for about twenty minutes before he headed out. I locked the doors and set the alarm and then headed up-stairs. I left the lights off because she was still asleep. I went to the bathroom and took a hot ass shower, because I really missed my home shower and the hot water. I then went to the closet and selected boxers and sleep pants and my house shoes until I was at the bed. I was rather hoping I could pry her out of that bundle of pillows and cocoon myself in with her. I went ahead and brushed my teeth, rinsed and even ran a comb through my hair.

I looked forward to a night of sleep in my own bed with my wife! I opened the bathroom door and was about to turn the light off when I saw him, there was a fucking man standing beside the bed and my eyes immediately saw the white cloth over Gabby’s nose and mouth. I was certain that meant he’d just put her to sleep. I wasn’t entirely sure what came over me, months of dealing with stupid notes and stupid figurines, months of worrying about her safety, weeks of wondering if she’d be fine here alone.

The spiders and him nearly causing our baby to be born too early. I should have questioned him, I should have said something. But, all I was seeing was red. I rushed him, grabbing around the neck and I just spun him around, my top priority was to get him the hell away from her. To get whatever he had on that rag away from her face. I heard something crash to the floor, probably from the night stand. I then heard the loud cracking sound as he went through the bedroom door.

By the sound he made I was certain he really didn’t expect that. Before he had time to get up I was on him again, targeting his side and abdomen, despite him trying to get me off. I could feel his hand pushing me away but I didn’t relent. I might not walk away unscathed, but at least I’d be walking away.

I felt the wood hit my arm fairly hard but I barely felt it really, a moment’s distraction what sounded like noise from the bedroom gave him the moment to toss me back into the wall, he then tried to just get away. I was on my feet in moments and caught up halfway down the steps, shoving him forward and shit, that was a hole in the wall for sure. But he fell down the shorter steps, I came on down making sure to slam his head into the floor a few dozen times. He knew the house well, knew where things were. The vase Stella had given her didn’t quite feel good over my head.

I was dazed for a few moments before I saw him going toward the back of the house, I just took off running after him. He went through the back door, broken glass and frames and all. At this point I was just hitting whatever my fist connected with, I didn’t even care who it was. I heard my name and since it wasn’t Gabby’s voice I didn’t care.

“STOP!”

I paused, that voice was so familiar. There was no way in hell that’s who this person was, he’d always been supportive in our marriage, supportive in everything we did, he’d never even given me any indication that he felt that Gabby and I shouldn’t be together. There was no way this was who it sounded like. I was pretty sure Gabby was right, she felt strongly it was Lucas, he didn’t think I’d changed, he stared at her too much, he’d had issue with me even touching her last time…

His hands were held to the side, he wasn’t trying to move me off of him or hit me. Yet the grip I had on his shirt I kept, but used the free hand to slide the black ski mask off his face. The brown hair spilled around his face, he’d shaved since the last time we saw him, and his eyes. The same brown Gabby described to me. I blinked, I didn’t want to believe this.

“Marcus? What the hell are you doing here?”

“Taking what you didn’t ever deserve. What the hell are you doing here? You should be in fucking Denver.”

There was blood running down his face, pretty sure his nose was broken. There was even blood on his lips. It made no sense, Marcus wasn’t like Andrew but he was a good friend and one I trusted. He’d never given me any indication that he felt negative toward us.

“Denver was postponed. What the fuck are you talking about? You were at my wedding, you were at my brothers weddings. You told me you were happy for us!”

“I lied. You don’t deserve Gabriella. You never did.”

“And you think you do?”

“I know I do! She loves me and she never loved you!”

“She fucking married me Marcus! Not you!”

“You don’t deserve her you bastard, you’ve done nothing but play fucking head games with women since you caught Priscilla. You never gave a shit about any of them!”

“You don’t either! You’ve done nothing but torment her for months! Sending stupid figurines with cryptic notes. She doesn’t love you!”

“You don’t deserve either of them!” he yelled.

For that I hit him again, I guess without the mask he could see better, because for the first time the whole fight I found myself on the ground. But he wasn’t hitting me.

“She never told you, did she?”

“What the fuck are you talking about? There is nothing she hasn’t told me.”

He leaned very close to me. “She didn’t tell you how we lived together for six months? Did she tell you how she told me she loved me? Did she tell you how she bolted when I asked her to marry me? Did she tell you any of that Zachary?”

“You are delusional. She doesn’t love you and she’s never fucking been with you.”

He got a little bit closer, that musky smell that she hated was there. “She’s fucked me before Zachary, many times. Did she tell you that she chose the owl tattoo? She giggled when she told the artist where she wanted it. Did she tell you any of that?”

“She never mentioned you but she mentioned a lot of men she used to survive. She never loved you.”

“She doesn’t you either, habitual cheater. I tried to warn her, tried to make her see. She just wouldn’t. I tried to make her remember me.”

“She doesn’t love you.”

“And you don’t deserve to be her husband, I asked her first. She should be having my baby, not yours.”

“But she’s having mine and unfortunately for you she won’t ever have yours, she won’t ever sleep with you.”

The man looking at me wasn’t the friend I knew, wasn’t the man I knew.

“You know I looked for her for years, bars, clubs, drug parties and where do I see her for the first time in years? December 31, 2007 at the annual New Year’s party. I almost didn’t recognize her, you were calling her Gabriella and I knew her as Skye. She didn’t have the black hair either, I didn’t even know black wasn’t her natural color. It was her voice and smile and I knew it was her. But then you told us she was your wife.”

“She is my wife. She will always be my wife.”

The smile he had was nothing I’d ever seen before, I’d known him years and I never thought he’d be capable of murder, clearly he was. The madman was now showing and I didn’t recognize him anymore.

“She won’t be your wife when your daughter dies suddenly in your hands, I didn’t think I wanted to kill her but really, she’s part of you and I can’t have all of Skye when she’s tied to you. It’ll be hard but…I can do it. She’ll hate you so much for that.”

I probably should have kept him talking but I couldn’t reason anymore. I hit him as hard as I could and I didn’t stop until he wasn’t moving anymore and only then did I back away. I was shaking and since I knew he wasn’t going to leave I got up and ran up-stairs.

Gabby was sitting up on the side of the bed, she looked disoriented and confused.

“Gabby?”

“I’m really dizzy.”

I laid her back down and called Shawn and then 911.

“Zac?” She asked.

“Yes?”

“Why are you covered in blood? Are you..did you get hurt?”

I moved some of the hair from her face. “It’s not mine. I’ll explain when they make sure you’re okay.”

She nodded and laid back some, propped up on pillows. I was fanning her with fresh air, I was sure the headache came from whatever he’d used to put her to sleep. I vaguely heard the sounds, but I wasn’t quick enough before Marcus was back, this time screaming that I don’t deserve her. It was both of us that went down the steps this time, but I was the unlucky one to land on the floor, which after being slightly dazed it gave him time to get his hands around my throat. I couldn’t get him to loosen up but I could hear Gabby screaming for him to stop.

Her voice was keeping me here, keeping me trying. I heard a sickening crack and Marcus just fell to the side. I blinked and saw Gabby standing there holding a baseball bat.

“Fucking bastard.”

I slowly got up and 10 minutes later Shawn was knocking and I let him inside, but directed him to Gabby because I was more worried about her at the moment. Shawn looked confused and upset but he went to the kitchen. The police arrived a moment later and they moved us both out of the house, putting her on pure oxygen because of the sedative. The paramedics were checking me also.

“Mr. Hanson?” Detective Mabis asked.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Do you know the man that’s unconscious on your foyer floor?”

“Yes. His name is Marcus Jones and I’ve known him since I was about fifteen or sixteen. I met him through Lucas James. He was a friend of his.”

“Can you walk me through what happen?”

I walked him through the events, including why I was home and up until Shawn arrived which was just before them. They took Marcus on to the hospital, but two police officers went with him.

“He will be arrested, but we have to make sure medically he is okay. Mrs. Hanson indicated she struck him with a ball bat. I am going to have you both taken and checked out as well, her as a precaution and you because you’re covered. We will have an officer come by and take your official statements.”

I nodded and he had an officer ride with us, but we got to go in the same. Shawn followed us and he stayed with her, I figured they would separate us for a little bit. They really didn’t find any really major cuts for me, just bruising and I was sure I was going to be sore as hell. I got the hospital outfit to wear while they took my clothes for evidence.

Detective Meyers came in and took my official statement and I imagine he took hers also.

“Can you tell me how he is?”

“Stable, he should be okay in the long run.”

He said to stay in town but I told him about the Denver show and I promised to make sure we stayed in touch.

“I have Mrs. Hanson and Dr. Frost’s statements already. I’ll take you down to her she’s been asking for you anyway.”

“I rather showed up covered in blood.”

He smiled and lead me from my emergency room down to hers where they had her just on oxygen and I could hear the sound of the heartbeat from the monitors.

“Is she okay?” I asked.

“Baby’s fine, they just want her to stay on oxygen for a little bit longer. Blood work is processing, they found the rag and chloroform in the bedroom.” Shawn said.

I sat down beside her on the bed. “Who was it?” She asked.

“You didn’t see him?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I was dizzy as hell, I wasn’t even sure I hit him at first.”

“Honey you cracked him over the head. It was Marcus.”

“Not Lucas?”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t Lucas, it was Marcus. But, we can talk about that later. Right now I need to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine Zac. What about you? What the hell happened? You woke me up and then the next thing I know you’re covered in blood and then some random guy is screaming you don’t deserve me.”

I explained to her what happen, but I left out what he told me for the moment. I didn’t want to ask her about that in front of Shawn. But, he left to go get us clothes and stuff, so it was a good time we were in a hospital and away from everyone, if she got upset there was a heart monitor to tell me.

“Gabriella, do you really not remember anyone you dated after Newton but before Simon?”

The gaze she gave me felt kinda bad, like that’s a question I should have asked long ago.

“I remember a few of them like James. But, not many right after Newton because I was hanging with Tera and well, I stayed fairly high the whole time. Why?”

“Do you remember picking out tattoos for others or anything like that?”

“No. Zachary why are you asking me these questions? You picked a strange time to ask.”

“When we were on the porch he told me to stop, it’s when I found out who he was. I left out some of what he said because I wanted to ask you first without Shawn being here.”

“Okay.”

“He said he dated you for six months and that you chose the owl tattoo and even where it went. He said you told him you loved him and that when he asked you to marry him, you bolted. He tried to find you but didn’t until you showed up with me at the party that year.”

She sat quietly, maybe trying to remember what he said but she seemed as confused as me.

“I don’t remember any of that, I mean I was with Newton when I got my tattoo and I don’t remember picking an owl out.”

“Did you ever like them?”

“I like all animals except spiders and peacocks, but if I was going to give someone else one I doubt I’d chose an owl. I’m not sure I can even find some way to prove it. But, Marcus?”

“You may still be right Gabby, Lucas has acted strangely and Marcus is his friend. So, it’s possible that he helped. We won’t really know until the police talk to him.”

“Assuming he remembers, I think I hit him pretty hard.”

“He’s stable.”

She laid back. “You broke the back door?”

I smiled. “I put him through the back door.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’ll be sore but it’s worth it. I stomped his ass like I’ve wanted to for the things he’s done. The spiders, the notes and shit, touching you.”

“The headache is going away. I was rather hoping to sleep later though.”

“I was hoping to sleep!”

She slid over and I didn’t argue laid there beside her. Shawn returned and I used his phone to call and tell my brothers and parents. They kept her another two hours before they released her and instead of going home we went to my parents. I needed sleep more than anything, because I wasn’t feeling so sharp.

After a good nap, we got in touch with Marello to fix the back door, patch the hole in the wall, and replace our bedroom door. He said he’d get on it right away, I then called the alarm company because they’d need to come back and rewire the back door. It was a long day, but we chose to stay with my parents for the night because we needed an environment that was safe. Marello was fixing things tomorrow so we would get one maybe two nights at home before I had to leave.