The Bodyguard - Chapter 26
Mar. 26th, 2014 04:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teamzaylor
Title: THE BODYGUARD
Chapter: 26
Rating: Nc-17
POV: Taylor
Warnings: Language, Death, Crime
Chapter Overview: Link
About the Story: The death of their parents broke Taylor and Zac apart. Each of them went his own way of life, Taylor became a famous superstar and never thought that his profession would bring his life in danger someday. Blade (Zac) buried the past and lived his life contentedly in his dark and dirty world as a pimp. Because of some unexpected circumstances Blade got hired as Taylor's bodyguard and the brothers saw each other for the first time after almost a decade. How will they overcome the shadows of the past?
Authors Notes: Chapter 26 is again from Taylor's POV. Thanks as always to everyone who reads and comments. ♡♡♡
PS.: Please use the Chapter Overview or our inserted Links which will forward you to the next Chapter in the right order.
previous Chapter 25 next Chapter 27
Taylor
I was planning to tell Blade that it didn't make any sense between us. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and didn't know how to deal with anything anymore. My life had taken a change to one of the worst nightmares I could have ever imagined and since Blade was here it was getting even more worse...
Maybe it was my desperation, the alcohol, my exhaustion... I didn't know. All I knew was that it didn't work between us. I was about to continue shouting at him, in my drunkenness I didn't even care anymore about a possible intruder, I just needed to vent out my anger.
But when I turned my attention away from the damaged door, I saw a totally different picture than I expected. My brother was squatting down in the other side of the room in front of his dog who lied in a corner on the floor and whimpering quietly.
He stroked Bandito's head and whispered a few soothing words to him. All I could see was that Bandito's leg was hurt. He seemed to have pains in his leg, but he stopped licking his wound immediately as he recognized us and wagged his tail weakly.
The sight touched my broken heart, I forgot about my anger and everything else and brought myself back to focus on what was more important, which was to care...
"What happened to him?" I asked somewhat perplexed. Sure, I was still angry about my violent brother, and my voice was upset, but my anger turned into worry about Bandito in a split of a second as I saw that he was injured. Even though I knew Blade's dog only for 24 hours, he already grown dear to my heart. He comforted me in my darkest hours of grieving without expecting something in return. I just couldn't ignore his whining.
"One of his hindlegs is hurt." He answered coldly and I began to regret my sudden emotional outburst. Absently I chewed on my lower lip like a child that said something inappropriate and walked closer to them slowly and quietly.
Protectively, he pulled off his jacket and laid it around his dog.
"How did that happen?" I managed to speak more softly this time.
"I don't know Taylor. Somebody must have hurt him. And I'm gonna find out who it was!"
Zachary's last sentence sounded angry again, so I didn't dare to ask him more questions. He carefully lifted Bandito up from the floor who gave a heart breaking yelp during the act.
"I have some dressing material in the bathroom." I said. Apparently, I was incorrigible, but I couldn't just stand there and do nothing else than watching while his poor dog was suffering. I was about to stumble out of the room to go for the dressing material but my brother stopped my intention in an instant.
"You're not gonna walk alone through this house before I checked what happened Taylor!" He commanded like a drill seargeant.
I didn't want to stay around my armed brother though, I didn't trust him, nor that I felt safe with him. It gave me shudders that something burgled into my house and if I wasn't here with my brother and his dog, I would look for the quickest way to get out of here.
He stood in the door frame, carrying his big dog now in his right arm and his gun in the other. Apparently he was still left handed, but that didn't matter at the moment.
"Then let me call the police at least, okay?" I tried again.
Actually, I didn't want to see Andrew or Skye for the rest of the night anymore after that embarrassing experience, but still, a real and trustworthy cop around me was a more safe imagination than my armed and dangerous gangster brother whose unpredictable behaviour made me feel more and more uncomfortable.
I purposely said 'police', because I could imagine Zachary wouldn't be delighted to see Andrew again. Being between them was like sitting on a powder keg. However, security was more important right now.
Despite Skye's choruses of praises about Blade, I didn't know if my little brother was able to handle a dangerous situation at all...
"You've got your hands full anyway..." I pointed out, trying to find an excuse to call the police. He threw me a suspicious glare and I wasn't sure if my sayings confirmed him my mistrust again. I didn't trust him and he didn't trust me, we've been strangers for a too long time to trust each other. Even though none of us spoke it out, I could always sense the cold thin air between us... it's like having to expect that something is going to explode any moment. It made me feel tensed, awkward and uncomfortable.
Anyway, what mattered was that he luckily agreed this time, so I quickly pulled my cell phone out of my pocket before he would change his mind and dialed Andrews number as fast as I could in my drunken state.
"Hello, this is Taylor Hanson...." I slurred once I heard a voice in the line. Probably I didn't sound very sober, but my mind was too occupied that it didn't really matter for me at this moment. I needed to talk to Andrew and ask him to come, but instead of letting me finish my sentence, the person on the other end began to coughing and laughing. What was going on here?
"Of course you are! And I am Elvis, the King of Rock n Roll. Try to fool someone else kid, I need to sleep." A strange voice mocked me and the line ended abruptly after that.
Confused I looked at my phone, realizing I dialed the wrong number in my nervousness. It wasn't the first time that something like that happened to me because of my famous name.
"What the fuck are you doing there, Taylor? Hurry up!" My brother urged impatiently. He stood there waiting for me with his big dog under his arm and the pistol still ready to shoot in the other. Both of them stared at me, probably wondering what I was doing and I felt my hand starting to shake because I didn't want to make them upset.
"Sorry, I dialed the wrong number." I apologized blushing, hoping he wouldn't lose his patience again because of my clumsiness.
He rolled his eyes, growled irritatedly but didn't say anything. I guessed it was my fault though. If I had been sober, probably I could have been more concentrated. Nervously, I tried my best to focus on dialing the right number this time with my shaky hand. Fortunately I had luck this time and Andrew took my call. Quickly, I informed him about the happenings and he promised to come asap together with another officer.
"They will be here in a few minutes," I announced after I hang up the phone and slipped it back into in my pocket.
"Good. Can you walk by yourself now?" Zachary gave me a frown.
I felt my cheeks heaten up with shame again. "No, I don't think so." I honestly confessed this time. I already expected him to judge me again about it, but he just said "then hold onto my shoulders and stay behind me."
I hesitated because just a few minutes before, I experienced his wild and crazy violence and now he actually wanted me to hold on to him again... I just stood there, looking at him insecurely because I wasn't sure what to do.
Added to that, I suddenly felt pathetic to hide behind my little brother. Not even the alcohol level could suppress my shame anymore. Or maybe, I still didn't drink enough. I knew that for Zac we weren't even brothers anymore, but still, it was a weird and awkward feeling for me that he was here as my bodyguard.
I didn't know how I would ever be able to shake it off...
Surely, there're many families with protective younger siblings, but until now I hadn't realized how ashamed I would feel that my little brother was protecting me in a dangerous situation and that it would cause such a major embarrassment in me. The thought didn't cross my mind yet because of all the other bad things that happened, like Natalie's and my baby's death and the fear and hate about my stalker who killed them.
Still, I knew that I was dependent from him right now. Actually he was right about taking me home because I had drunk way more than I should have this evening. So apparently I had to go through this.
"Hey Sleeping Beauty, get real and stop dreaming!"
"Huh? What did you say?" I asked confused as I noticed Blade's irritated look.
"Listen to what I say. Do you think your Stalker will froze in awe of your beauty if he points a gun at you?" Clearly, he was pissed because of my hesitation.
I was blushing deeply and wanted to protest but I chose not to. I just stood there with my head tilted down, awkwardly rubbing my lower arms like I often do when I feel bashful.
"I want to get out of here..." I said quietly.
"At first we have to look if the ground floor is clear, then I have to check the surveillance video and treat Bandito's injury. Now, when we walk you stay behind me. Come on! Hurry!" The firm soldier tone in his voice and the treatment of him made feel so shy and insecure in my brother's company. Even though I had far worse problems to face I felt like such a pussy giving in to his rules. The humilation was devastating even though he was actually a help. I didn't want to mean and unfair, although I had no idea how to deal with him. Furthermore, I didn't want to test him just yet after two days of such traumatic changes. He would probably shout at me and get violent again. I couldn't pretend that this was a dream though. My little brother was actually taking care of me and he did it very conscientiously.
All I could manage was to breath out a sheepishly "Yes sir. I'll follow your orders." Fear, shame and the fact of my helplessness over the situation crashed around in my brain when he finished his instructions. Then he asked if I understood the instructions. Obediently but miserable I answered in the same docile way as I had been taught.
For now, I didn't see another way than to obey and swallow my ego because I was in no position to resist. Silently, with some hesitation and disbelief that I was actually doing this, I complied with my little brother's commands and laid my hands diffidently on his shoulders to not stumble down. Not only did my feels of guilt prevent me, so did my bodyguard's authority. I was literally being led along. It was not altogether uncomfortable, but I was definitely not used to it. At least this time I wasn't caught in his grasp.
"Stay close." He shot me a last glance and quickly turned around. His eyes warily looked around as we wandered silently back through the hallway. His movements were precise and cautious, like a soldier that was ready to shoot his enemy any moment. It could have been entertaining because it reminded me when Zachary was a teenager and walking around in and around the house with his toy gun. He could never get enough of playing with guns and videogames. It scared me that my wife's killer might be somewhere in my house and I was so drunk that I couldn't stand straight. Worse, I was alone with my little brother who might be a criminal guy who was planning an act of revenge.
The imagination of a possible burglar in my home scared me.
What did he want here? Why did that sick person come again?
I was sure that it could only have been the same person who killed my wife and my baby.
What did that person want from me? Was it not enough that my family got killed?
I felt nothing, but despise and hate about that sick Stalker who had taken everything away from me. While some other part of me wasn't even sure anymore if I still had reasons to be afraid about my own life, I felt so weak and useless anyway.
"Put your gun down Za-Blade, you don't want to do anything stupid, right?" I whispered as he raised his gun and aimed it towards every corner.
He just scoffed at that. "You should know me better by know, blondie."
I didn't know what to say to that so I kept silent. Zac really seemed to be very decidedly and resolute and to shoot the intruder if he was still inside the house. At least I could hide my face in his back so Zac couldn't see my flushed cheeks anymore. I honestly couldn't even say what was worse for me, the embarrassment or my fear. I could hardly stand straight with the shock and shame I was feeling.
Zachary checked every corner of the rooms on the ground floor and I followed him like a ship in tow on my wobbly feet. I tiptoed behind him to the edge of the stairway and anxiously listened for any other sounds than my own pounding heart. Long moments passed until I gathered the courage to poke my head out over his shoulder. Looking down the hall, I let out a sigh of relief. No one was there! Not a soul! The coast was clear.
"Stay back, stay back." He repeatingly whispered to me which made me insecure but I complied without a word. I couldn't argue with the only person that wanted the same as me, to get out of here alive and well. Silently, we headed towards the bath room where I fetched an antibiotic oitment and a first aid box from the drug cabinet, then we went back with the stuff into the living room.
Carefully, he put Bandito down on the couch and told me to sit down as well. I let my weak legs sank on the other side next to his dog who immediately laid his head onto my lap. Zachary didn't sit down though, instead he went to the stairway and looked warily upstairs.
"Wait a minute." He said and ran upstairs before I could answer him with the gun in his hand.
I wanted to shout and tell him to stay, but I just sat there, regretting that I was such a drunk mess. Apparently he went upstairs to check the other rooms as well. My body started to shake in an instant but he fortunately came back before my fear got the edge on me.
"Your house is clean," he said and plopped himself down at the other side of the couch beside Bandito.
"You... you act like a soldier," I said somewhat amazed by his actions.
"I am soldier." He answered tonelessly and took the first aid box out of my hands. He didn't seem to be interested in having a conversation with me though and continued working, keeping a straight face. Without another word he quickly opened the first aid box and tipped the content out of it and onto the couch. I really didn't like how he made a hay of everything and even though it didn't seem an appropriate time to point it out I couldn't suppress my annoyance.
"Could you please treat my things a little more tidy and neatly? I frowned at the pile of bandages and dressing material on the couch.
"Seriously Taylor, don't have you some other problems?!" He commented head shaking, not bothering about the mess he caused.
"I'm just saying you..."
"Shut the fuck up Taylor, I don't have time for this shit!" He exclaimed angrily that I jumped up. As Bandito was yelping quietly because of the turmoil I caused my heart broke. Gently, I stroked over his black fur to soothe him. He actually seemed to feel comfortable between us awkward beings and watched attentively every movement my brother made.
I could feel that there was a strong bond between them, Bandito evidently trusted him implicitly. So far, I didn't experience Blade in a worried mood before, to be honest I was already wondering if he would have feelings at all underneath his constantly cool exterior...
I have always wished for my real brother to come back and now I was finally seeing a little of his old side. It was relieving for me to see that he had still a heart. A boy who would do everything to protect his dog... he wasn't a teenager anymore, only his long hair still reminded of the wild Hippie from back then.
It had gotten a little darker... like everything else about him...
He was no longer the nice, funny and crazy Zac that I left almost a decade ago. He was now an older, bitter, uncaring man.
Past had done a number on Blade and I didn’t like the changes my brother had made...
Seeing him of how he cared about his dog made me feel relieved and a little weight was lifted from my mind. I couldn't express why, but it still meant much to me to not let Zachary go before he'd have a different picture of me. And now, that I experienced my brother for the very first time not as a emotionless robot, made me unsure if my doubts and actions were right.
Now he was here to protect me and I couldn't deny that he was doing his job so far. But still, his violent behaviour was intimidating to me, that I didn't know how to act around him.
How should I ever be able to take it seriously that my little brother was my bodyguard?
Maybe it wasn't even fair to let him do the job, even though I had no idea how I should ever get used to that fact...
"I can tape up Bandito's wound if you want me to...I can do that." I offered him as he rummaged through the stuff. He stopped for a second, looked at me and gave me a leery frown. Somehow, the stare of his shrewd brown eyes made me feel uncomfortable, he was equally close and distant...
As if only his body was here to function and his soul was anywhere else...
But I cared so much about Bandito's condition that I just didn't want to only sit there, watching while his poor dog was suffering. I wanted to give Bandito something back for the kindness he gave me.
"Alright. Do that. I have to check the surveillance video." He agreed and handed the gauze bandage to me. I was surprised that he agreed this time and in away made my mistrust towards him me feel very guilty again. I knew that it was my turn to make up to him.
If my parents could see us now, they'd probably tell me;
"Taylor don't give up. Trust in yourself and trust in your optimism."
But how shall I do that with everything that happened? If only they could be here and motivate me...
I sighed, my mind was drifting away again...
Zachary had taken the remote control for the TV in one hand, the pistol still holding in the other hand. He turned the TV on and a few seconds later he was spooling through the recordings of the monitoring cameras.
I turned my attention down to Bandito, to bandage the scratch at his hind leg. It wasn't a deep wound, but he was in pain when he put his paw down. I carefully rubbed the ointment into his wound, trying my best to not cause him any more pain and bandaged his hind leg properly. When I was finished I put the dressing material back into the box and looked up to the TV as well. I was curious if Zac already found a proof for the broken up back door. Obviously, he noticed my attention immediately even though he didn't even look at me. He pressed the pause button on the remote control in an instant.
"I can't allow you to watch this Taylor. It's better for you to not watch this creepy shit!" he said without looking away from the Screen.
Who did he think he was that he acted as if he could tell me what I was allowed to watch and what not?!?
"What else shall I do then in the meantime!?!" I asked irritated and stared at him in disbelief.
"Whatever princess, brush your goldilocks or something. Those violent scenes are not the right entertainment for a girly pussy like you." He stated indifferently.
Not embarrassing enough with it, that he was my bodyguard, now he was bossing me around and treating me like a girl was only making it worse for me. Just because I wasn't a fan of those stupid Horror and Zombie movies like he had always been, didn't mean he had the right to treat me that way. I blushed from embarrassment but I was too mad to think of it. He was my little brother, yet he made me feel like a little girl. This time I wouldn't obey his orders!
"I also want to see what happened here!" I protested upset and determined. Seriously, I never experienced that anyone treated me so respectless like my own brother did. I had many crazy fans experienced before, but no one among them ever dared to talk to me like that. Even the most hysterical fans had more respect towards me than my little brother had. Blade didn't give a shit about anything though, well, except his Rottweiler.
"Fine. But don't complain if you're gonna wet yourself," he replied cold and flatly after pressing the play button to start the video.
I was annoyed and offended about his words, but I also knew that I didn't have the strength to mess with him. I didn't know if we were out of danger and right now wasn't the right time to occupy my mind about these things, but I couldn't help it that the way he treated me hurt me again. Meanwhile, I knew that he didn't care about me, that's why I felt that he was only being mean to punish me. And I knew it was what I had deserved, so which right did I have to contradict...?
I didn't realize how much his words hurt me until I felt tears prickling in my eyes. Tears of anger, desperation, sadness and guilt. Quietly, I gulped back a sob. I've always been a emotional, blushful person who get embarrassed easily and in my current state I was much more sensitive than usual and than I like to admit.
"Why do you have to be so mean and respectless to me?" I let out a shaky breath, unthinking of the whiny, offended tone I couldn't suppress. Even though I already knew my question wouldn't change anything, in my helplessness I didn't see another way at this moment than to appeal on his sympathy again. That's why I gave it a last try.
I wished he would show me some compassion, but I couldn't ask and demand something from him that he didn't get from me when he needed me...
My limbs felt so cold. Not because of fear or coldness, but because of the loneliness I felt inside me. It must have been the same sad and bleak feeling Zachary felt when I left him back then...
"The surveillance video is not a fucking chick flick; it's about the man who killed your wife and broke into your home because of you. If you're unable to realize that this shit is not good for you, then you don't deserve to get treated better. Now stop bothering me and shut up! I have to focus. Unlike a girl like you, I have some work to do."
He was getting real pissed about the fact that I didn't follow his order. Was my reaction wrong?
I realized that it wouldn't make sense anymore to continue discussing with him, it would only hurt me more. Furthermore, I didn't want to let him know that he often hit the mark with his remark every time he called and treated me like a girl. During my puberty years it was a sore spot for me because I was often getting teased for looking like a girl and back then it had always made me feel a little embarrassed when I was teased because of that. I knew that I was delicate and looked a little girly but nowadays I have no problem with my feminine side. I could never understand why it should be inacceptable to have feminine features.
It was Blade's respectlessness that hurt me the most. Still, I didn't want to cry in front of my little brother, he would probably only tease me all the more about my sensivity. A soft noise, almost a sob escaped my lips before I could swallow the hard lump in my throat and blinked my tears away.
Since my brother was here, I was in a steady conflict with myself.
His insults always brought me to the edge, but at the same time I didn't want to stoop to his level and fall on his primitive niveau. If he never learned cultivated manners, I knew that it was my task to be a role model as his older brother, no matter how he thought about that.
In the current situation I didn't see another way to show him that I wasn't that egoistical like he thought I was...
That's why I silenced to give my broken heart a rest, but I couldn't stop myself from continue watching the recording tape of the surveillance cameras with him anyway.
Until we suddenly saw something in the darkness...
Chapter Overview: Link
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Date: 2014-02-27 08:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-03-02 08:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-03-01 08:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-03-02 08:08 am (UTC)Thanks very much as always for your feedback, it's much appreciated!! ♡♡♡ We'll update as soon as possible. :)
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Date: 2014-03-03 04:42 pm (UTC)I'm also glad that Taylor got to see that he's little brother wasn't so emotionless and that he care about something. Although he keeps being rude and nasty towards Taylor. Hopefully one day things will change and Taylor's effort to try and be a better brother will bring them together.
Now, I wonder what did they see in the video...such a cliffhanger!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Date: 2014-03-05 03:04 pm (UTC)We will work on the progress of their relationship soon, sorry about the mean Cliffhanger. ;)
We just posted Chapter 27 :)