In the end, Amanda lost the fight over the gun and got shot. The police
showed up in time before Brian could make another move luckily, and he got
arrested. She wasn't so lucky. Christopher cried when he heard that she was
dead. He felt like it was his fault she was gone, and grew more quiet day after
day. No one could get him to talk. It was like he was in his own little
world.
Arielle barely talked herself. While she hadn't wanted to keep the baby, she
was quite upset over the loss. And watching Christopher growing more depressed
as the days went on, made her feel worse. It was hard seeing him go from being
the energetic boy he used to be, to just sitting around doing nothing. She
missed who he used to be.
Ashley and Taylor continued to grow closer as time went on, and Natalie
noticed it. They spent almost everyday together, trying to bring the kids around
to their normal selves. She felt like her world was falling apart, and spent
more time with her kids, trying to make sure they didn't feel like they were
being completely ignored.
" Do you think they will ever get past this, Taylor?" Ashley asked him,
opening the can of beer he had handed her and taking a sip.
He sat in a patio chair, and sighed. " I sure hope so. I can't stand to see
Arielle so down. And the change in Christopher is just... weird. I mean, I'm
glad his attitude is gone. But he's too quiet these days."
" I know. Zac said he barely even plays video games anymore, that he just
sits around staring at the tv. Not that he even pays any attention to it." She
looked at him, tears coming to her eyes. " I don't know what to do. Their
just... they are getting worse."
" I know. I think we need to look into a counselor for both of them. It's
been two weeks, and it's time they try and get on with their lives. They can't
go on like this anymore."
She nodded in agreement. " Christopher might be a tough one to get him to go.
But Ashley might go without a fight. Hopefully."
He sipped on his beer and looked over at her. " I hope so. We need them to
get back to normal."
Looking into his eyes, she smiled a little. " You've taken such an interest
in Christopher. Yet he isn't even your's, and I... I find that amazing about
you. You amaze me so much, Taylor."
" He's a part of you, Ashley. Your important to me, and... I know it's
killing you to see him like this. I just want to help you help him. That's all."
He said, keeping eye contact with her.
" Have... have you figured out... where you want to go with this? With us?"
She asked.
" Ashley, I... I'm not saying I don't want to be with you. I do. But a part
of my heart does belong to Natalie. I love her, and... I'm not sure if me and
you can even pick up where we left off."
Tears streamed down her face as he said this. " We could start over, Taylor.
We could build a new life together. And..."
Natalie came into the patio, interrupting Ashley. " You need to decide which
life you want to lead, Taylor. I love you, and I... I don't want to lose you.
You are my life. But until you have made your final decision, I need to do what
I feel is best." She told him. " I'm taking the kids and going home to Georgia.
When you've made your final decision, let me know."
Getting up from his seat, he grabbed her wrist before she could walk away
from him. " I don't want you to leave, Natalie. I want to be with you." He
kissed her. " Please stay. Don't take my kids away from me just because you feel
I am slipping away from you."
" But you are slipping away, Taylor. You spend everyday with her. You can say
all you want it is because of Arielle, but it isn't. You still feel something
for her. I know you do."
Now tears came to his eyes. He loved Natalie still. That hadn't changed just
because Ashley had come back into his life. " Don't leave. Please." He
begged.
" I'm sorry, Taylor. But I just can't stay here." She said, and pulling out
of his grasp she walked away. Grabbing their kids, she left the house and drove
off in the van.
____________________________________________________
Zac walked into the living room to see Christopher as usual staring at the
tv. He was barely paying any attention to it, but he had Mrs. Doubtfire on.
Junia and Shepherd were laughing at Robin Williams making his funny voices.
HIm and Kate continued to raise him as Ashley tried to get her life back
together. In order for them to willingly give full custody back to her, they
wanted to see that she could make a life for herself. Right now they didn't see
that she could raise him at all while she didn't have a job and seemed unwilling
to do so at the moment. They understood she just was trying to support her kids
emotionally, but it wasn't enough for them.
" Christopher, would you like to help me with dinner? I thought we would make
homemade pizza's today." He asked him.
Christopher didn't bother to look up at him, and he didn't answer. He just
continued to stare at the tv.
Trying not to grow impaitent with him, he sat next to him and turned the tv
off. Junia and Shepherd grew upset. " You guys go play in another room or
something. I need to talk to Christopher. Please."
" Okay dad." Shepherd took Junia's hand in his, and they walked out of the
room together.
Christopher got up to leave the room himself, but Zac stopped him. " You need
to sit down and listen to me. Your not walking out of this room until I've had
my say."
With a nod, Christopher sat back down on the couch. " Fine."
" Christopher, I get your having a rough time right now. I really do. You
found a new friend in Amanda, and now she's gone. But she did what she felt she
needed to do. She saved your life and didn't care what happened to herself." He
said. " It's not your fault. None of it is. It was her choice."
" She shouldn't be dead though! She should be with... with her family." He
cried, finally looking up at Zac. " It's not fair!"
" I agree. It's really not. But what's done is done. We can't go back and
change it." Zac looked at him sadly. " I wish we could. I know you liked her.
And I'm sure we would have too. I wish more than anything that I could have
gotten a chance to thank her for saving you."
Christopher sobbed, thinking back to that day. He didn't say anything. He
wiped his tears away, which flowed down his face.
" What you went through was traumatic. I know it was. I feel terrible that
you had to deal with a dad like him, that he shot your new friend. I hate it. I
see how it affects you and it makes me sad."
Kate stood at the top of the stairs, listening to their conversation. She
smiled a little, seeing Zac trying to comfort Christopher. It was heartwarming
to see how much he cared for him considering what had happened with Monroe.
" Please just... try to see the bright side of this. Your alive. At least he
didn't kill you, or get away with kidnapping you. He's in jail and can no longer
hurt anyone." Zac said, giving him a little hug. " It really will be okay. I
promise."
" I want my mom. Can she come over for dinner?" Christopher asked.
Zac nodded. " I'll give her a call. Just think about what I've said though.
Please." He got up and went back into the kitchen.
Kate followed shortly behind him. She went into the kitchen herself, and saw
tears in Zac's eyes. She gave him a big hug and kissed him. " He'll be okay. We
just need to give him a little more time."
" I hope your right. This is too much to see him so upset." Zac said, holding
onto her tightly. He kissed her back. " He's not the same boy at all."
She smiled. " That's a good thing. That attitude of his needed to change."
She kissed him again. " I know what you mean though. He is totally different."
" Want me to help me with the pizza? Christopher didn't want to."
" Sure. Go ahead and make that call to Ashley and I'll get started." She told
him.
Taking out his cell phone, he called and invited Ashley over to dinner. She
was more than willing, but she explained to him that Natalie had left him and
had taken their kids to go home to Georgia, saying she didn't think Taylor
should be alone right now. He agreed, and told her to bring Taylor along.
_______________________________________________________________
Arielle had been asked to come along to join her mom and Taylor over to Zac's
for dinner, but she had turned the invitation down. All she wanted was to be
alone. Seeing Christopher so down didn't help her at all, when she was already
depressed herself over losing her baby. She had been looking forward to watching
her son or daughter being raised by Isaac and Nikki. More than anything she had
wanted to give them another baby, even if they were having one of their own. She
felt like she had let them down in a big way, as they had gotten more excited at
the idea themselves.
Her cell phone rang when she was painting her toenails, and she didn't bother
to pick it up. She didn't even feel like talking to anyone. But the person
calling was unwilling to leave her alone. They called until she finally picked
it up. " What?" She asked angrily.
" Arielle, please calm down and talk to me." Isaac's voice came over the
phone.
She sighed. " I'm really not in the mood to talk, uncle Isaac. I just... I
want to be left alone."
" Too bad. I'm coming over and we are going to talk. Meet me out front." He
hung up before she could say anything.
She stared at her phone for a moment, and then put the cover on her nail
polish. Heading down the stairs, she heard the doorbell ring. She opened it to
see Isaac already there. " I really can't do this right now. Please just... can
you just leave?" She asked.
" Nope. I'm afraid not. We really need to talk." He walked past her and into
the house, closing the door behind him. " I can't let you bring yourself down
like this, Arielle. You did nothing wrong. Losing a baby just happens
sometimes."
" I don't want to talk about this!" She snapped, and started to head back
upstairs.
He grabbed at her wrist, and stopped her. " Arielle, you have beat yourself
up enough over this and it needs to stop. I get why your upset." He told her. "
But you didn't let us down. It happens this way once in awhile. Women lose
babies all the time."
" Let go of me! I'm not doing this!" She screamed, trying to pull of his
grasp.
He pulled her into a hug, and that's when she broke down. She sobbed into his
shoulder. " It is okay. We have kids of our own, and one on the way. It's not
like we don't have the family that we want, sweetie."
" This baby deserved to have a life. He or she should still be inside of me,
waiting to come into this world. It isn't fair." She cried.
" I know it isn't. And I think as much as you say you wanted us to have this
baby, that you would have ended up keeping it yourself. I think you just never
wanted to admit to it because you were afraid of how everyone else would feel.
Am I right?" He asked, looking into her eyes as he pulled out of the hug.
" I just... I was afraid I would ruin the baby's life. I didn't think I could
be a mother." She told him. " I've never seen myself becoming a mom, especially
not at sixteen."
" I understand, Arielle. But a part of you wanted to keep the baby. I know,
because at one point you said you wanted to have the baby. And I can see it in
your eyes." He said. " You would have made an amazing mother, sweetie."
She hugged him again and kissed his cheek. " You really think so?"
" Yes. It will happen one day, I promise. When the timing is right you will
have a baby. And you will be the best mom you can be."
She gave him a little smile and nodded. " My mom and Taylor left. Where
Natalie is I'm not sure. Is... is it okay if I come over for dinner?"
" Me and and Nikki would love that. Let's go." He held out his hand, and once
she had her purse, she grabbed it and they walked out the door
together.
showed up in time before Brian could make another move luckily, and he got
arrested. She wasn't so lucky. Christopher cried when he heard that she was
dead. He felt like it was his fault she was gone, and grew more quiet day after
day. No one could get him to talk. It was like he was in his own little
world.
Arielle barely talked herself. While she hadn't wanted to keep the baby, she
was quite upset over the loss. And watching Christopher growing more depressed
as the days went on, made her feel worse. It was hard seeing him go from being
the energetic boy he used to be, to just sitting around doing nothing. She
missed who he used to be.
Ashley and Taylor continued to grow closer as time went on, and Natalie
noticed it. They spent almost everyday together, trying to bring the kids around
to their normal selves. She felt like her world was falling apart, and spent
more time with her kids, trying to make sure they didn't feel like they were
being completely ignored.
" Do you think they will ever get past this, Taylor?" Ashley asked him,
opening the can of beer he had handed her and taking a sip.
He sat in a patio chair, and sighed. " I sure hope so. I can't stand to see
Arielle so down. And the change in Christopher is just... weird. I mean, I'm
glad his attitude is gone. But he's too quiet these days."
" I know. Zac said he barely even plays video games anymore, that he just
sits around staring at the tv. Not that he even pays any attention to it." She
looked at him, tears coming to her eyes. " I don't know what to do. Their
just... they are getting worse."
" I know. I think we need to look into a counselor for both of them. It's
been two weeks, and it's time they try and get on with their lives. They can't
go on like this anymore."
She nodded in agreement. " Christopher might be a tough one to get him to go.
But Ashley might go without a fight. Hopefully."
He sipped on his beer and looked over at her. " I hope so. We need them to
get back to normal."
Looking into his eyes, she smiled a little. " You've taken such an interest
in Christopher. Yet he isn't even your's, and I... I find that amazing about
you. You amaze me so much, Taylor."
" He's a part of you, Ashley. Your important to me, and... I know it's
killing you to see him like this. I just want to help you help him. That's all."
He said, keeping eye contact with her.
" Have... have you figured out... where you want to go with this? With us?"
She asked.
" Ashley, I... I'm not saying I don't want to be with you. I do. But a part
of my heart does belong to Natalie. I love her, and... I'm not sure if me and
you can even pick up where we left off."
Tears streamed down her face as he said this. " We could start over, Taylor.
We could build a new life together. And..."
Natalie came into the patio, interrupting Ashley. " You need to decide which
life you want to lead, Taylor. I love you, and I... I don't want to lose you.
You are my life. But until you have made your final decision, I need to do what
I feel is best." She told him. " I'm taking the kids and going home to Georgia.
When you've made your final decision, let me know."
Getting up from his seat, he grabbed her wrist before she could walk away
from him. " I don't want you to leave, Natalie. I want to be with you." He
kissed her. " Please stay. Don't take my kids away from me just because you feel
I am slipping away from you."
" But you are slipping away, Taylor. You spend everyday with her. You can say
all you want it is because of Arielle, but it isn't. You still feel something
for her. I know you do."
Now tears came to his eyes. He loved Natalie still. That hadn't changed just
because Ashley had come back into his life. " Don't leave. Please." He
begged.
" I'm sorry, Taylor. But I just can't stay here." She said, and pulling out
of his grasp she walked away. Grabbing their kids, she left the house and drove
off in the van.
____________________________________________________
Zac walked into the living room to see Christopher as usual staring at the
tv. He was barely paying any attention to it, but he had Mrs. Doubtfire on.
Junia and Shepherd were laughing at Robin Williams making his funny voices.
HIm and Kate continued to raise him as Ashley tried to get her life back
together. In order for them to willingly give full custody back to her, they
wanted to see that she could make a life for herself. Right now they didn't see
that she could raise him at all while she didn't have a job and seemed unwilling
to do so at the moment. They understood she just was trying to support her kids
emotionally, but it wasn't enough for them.
" Christopher, would you like to help me with dinner? I thought we would make
homemade pizza's today." He asked him.
Christopher didn't bother to look up at him, and he didn't answer. He just
continued to stare at the tv.
Trying not to grow impaitent with him, he sat next to him and turned the tv
off. Junia and Shepherd grew upset. " You guys go play in another room or
something. I need to talk to Christopher. Please."
" Okay dad." Shepherd took Junia's hand in his, and they walked out of the
room together.
Christopher got up to leave the room himself, but Zac stopped him. " You need
to sit down and listen to me. Your not walking out of this room until I've had
my say."
With a nod, Christopher sat back down on the couch. " Fine."
" Christopher, I get your having a rough time right now. I really do. You
found a new friend in Amanda, and now she's gone. But she did what she felt she
needed to do. She saved your life and didn't care what happened to herself." He
said. " It's not your fault. None of it is. It was her choice."
" She shouldn't be dead though! She should be with... with her family." He
cried, finally looking up at Zac. " It's not fair!"
" I agree. It's really not. But what's done is done. We can't go back and
change it." Zac looked at him sadly. " I wish we could. I know you liked her.
And I'm sure we would have too. I wish more than anything that I could have
gotten a chance to thank her for saving you."
Christopher sobbed, thinking back to that day. He didn't say anything. He
wiped his tears away, which flowed down his face.
" What you went through was traumatic. I know it was. I feel terrible that
you had to deal with a dad like him, that he shot your new friend. I hate it. I
see how it affects you and it makes me sad."
Kate stood at the top of the stairs, listening to their conversation. She
smiled a little, seeing Zac trying to comfort Christopher. It was heartwarming
to see how much he cared for him considering what had happened with Monroe.
" Please just... try to see the bright side of this. Your alive. At least he
didn't kill you, or get away with kidnapping you. He's in jail and can no longer
hurt anyone." Zac said, giving him a little hug. " It really will be okay. I
promise."
" I want my mom. Can she come over for dinner?" Christopher asked.
Zac nodded. " I'll give her a call. Just think about what I've said though.
Please." He got up and went back into the kitchen.
Kate followed shortly behind him. She went into the kitchen herself, and saw
tears in Zac's eyes. She gave him a big hug and kissed him. " He'll be okay. We
just need to give him a little more time."
" I hope your right. This is too much to see him so upset." Zac said, holding
onto her tightly. He kissed her back. " He's not the same boy at all."
She smiled. " That's a good thing. That attitude of his needed to change."
She kissed him again. " I know what you mean though. He is totally different."
" Want me to help me with the pizza? Christopher didn't want to."
" Sure. Go ahead and make that call to Ashley and I'll get started." She told
him.
Taking out his cell phone, he called and invited Ashley over to dinner. She
was more than willing, but she explained to him that Natalie had left him and
had taken their kids to go home to Georgia, saying she didn't think Taylor
should be alone right now. He agreed, and told her to bring Taylor along.
_______________________________________________________________
Arielle had been asked to come along to join her mom and Taylor over to Zac's
for dinner, but she had turned the invitation down. All she wanted was to be
alone. Seeing Christopher so down didn't help her at all, when she was already
depressed herself over losing her baby. She had been looking forward to watching
her son or daughter being raised by Isaac and Nikki. More than anything she had
wanted to give them another baby, even if they were having one of their own. She
felt like she had let them down in a big way, as they had gotten more excited at
the idea themselves.
Her cell phone rang when she was painting her toenails, and she didn't bother
to pick it up. She didn't even feel like talking to anyone. But the person
calling was unwilling to leave her alone. They called until she finally picked
it up. " What?" She asked angrily.
" Arielle, please calm down and talk to me." Isaac's voice came over the
phone.
She sighed. " I'm really not in the mood to talk, uncle Isaac. I just... I
want to be left alone."
" Too bad. I'm coming over and we are going to talk. Meet me out front." He
hung up before she could say anything.
She stared at her phone for a moment, and then put the cover on her nail
polish. Heading down the stairs, she heard the doorbell ring. She opened it to
see Isaac already there. " I really can't do this right now. Please just... can
you just leave?" She asked.
" Nope. I'm afraid not. We really need to talk." He walked past her and into
the house, closing the door behind him. " I can't let you bring yourself down
like this, Arielle. You did nothing wrong. Losing a baby just happens
sometimes."
" I don't want to talk about this!" She snapped, and started to head back
upstairs.
He grabbed at her wrist, and stopped her. " Arielle, you have beat yourself
up enough over this and it needs to stop. I get why your upset." He told her. "
But you didn't let us down. It happens this way once in awhile. Women lose
babies all the time."
" Let go of me! I'm not doing this!" She screamed, trying to pull of his
grasp.
He pulled her into a hug, and that's when she broke down. She sobbed into his
shoulder. " It is okay. We have kids of our own, and one on the way. It's not
like we don't have the family that we want, sweetie."
" This baby deserved to have a life. He or she should still be inside of me,
waiting to come into this world. It isn't fair." She cried.
" I know it isn't. And I think as much as you say you wanted us to have this
baby, that you would have ended up keeping it yourself. I think you just never
wanted to admit to it because you were afraid of how everyone else would feel.
Am I right?" He asked, looking into her eyes as he pulled out of the hug.
" I just... I was afraid I would ruin the baby's life. I didn't think I could
be a mother." She told him. " I've never seen myself becoming a mom, especially
not at sixteen."
" I understand, Arielle. But a part of you wanted to keep the baby. I know,
because at one point you said you wanted to have the baby. And I can see it in
your eyes." He said. " You would have made an amazing mother, sweetie."
She hugged him again and kissed his cheek. " You really think so?"
" Yes. It will happen one day, I promise. When the timing is right you will
have a baby. And you will be the best mom you can be."
She gave him a little smile and nodded. " My mom and Taylor left. Where
Natalie is I'm not sure. Is... is it okay if I come over for dinner?"
" Me and and Nikki would love that. Let's go." He held out his hand, and once
she had her purse, she grabbed it and they walked out the door
together.