"Jordan Taylor," Kylie scolded, "If you think that dragging my pretty little ass out of bed at eight o'clock in the morning is going to put a smile on my face and make me a happy person, you are sadly mistaken."

Taylor laughed to himself as he started the engine of his car. "You're right, darling. I'm sorry."

"Sarcasm will get you nowhere." She slumped down in the seat and crossed her arms over her chest. "Where are you taking me anyway? The only places that are open this early are grocery stores."

"We're going out to breakfast."

"Breakfast?" She shot him a are you out of your mind? look.

"Yes... is that okay?" He took his eyes off the road for a moment to glance over at her.

"Yeah it's okay... though it would've been better if you waited until ten. I mean, eight's pretty early."

"So if you're crabby today it's my fault?" He asked

"Yep."

* * *

"And for you miss?" The waitress turned to look at Kylie, her pencil poised and ready to write down her order.

"Um... " Kylie's tired eyes scanned over the breakfast menu once more. "I'll just have the flapjack."

"Six pancakes? You sure about that?" She asked

Kylie's eyes widened. "SIX?!"

"That's what it says in the menu."

Kylie glanced down at her menu and read over the words. "Huh. Six. Okay can you just give me two?"

The waitress smiled and grabbed their menus. "Sure, I'll go place your order. It should be up in a few." She stuck her pencil behind her ear and turned to leave the table.

"That was easy enough." Taylor commented, folding his arms in front of him and leaning forward on the table top.

"It's early."

"So I noticed."

"Well anyway," Kylie rolled her eyes and situated herself in the booth, "What's on the agenda for today? Besides my five hour nap I mean."

"I've got plans with Ike to go to this music festival downtown. Zac was supposed to come with us but he's been sick the past couple days so he's skipping out."

"Oh." She nodded "You know, I've never been that into music, but lately, I have this urge to learn how to play the guitar."

"Why don't you come with us then?" He suggested

"Well, I don't know. I've got that five hour nap I have to take... "

"So sleep in the car. Come on. Please come with?"

"No I don't think so." She shook her head, "Thanks for the invite though. You and Ike should go anyway, you guys are way more into music than I am."

"That doesn't mean you can't come and spend time with me."

Kylie instantly felt guilty. "Oh no, that's so not it, Tay." She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. "I love spending time with you, don't get me wrong. But it's like I said, music is more your thing than it is mine. I'm totally okay with spending the day by myself and sleeping or... doing whatever."

"Are you sure?" Taylor gave her a skeptical look

"I'm sure." She smiled, "And hey, this music thing won't take all day, so how 'bout we do something after you get back?"

"I think I can go for that."

"Yeah?" She raised her eyebrows in question

"Yeah." He laughed

* * *

Kylie pulled her coat around her tighter and crossed her feet at the ankles. She tucked a strand of hair around her cold ear and brought her hands up to her lips, blowing on them. "So cold... " She muttered, "So very cold... " She heard the front door creak open and looked up from her position on the front bench.

"I thought I heard someone out here." Diana said, sticking her head out just a bit. "What are you doing sitting out here? It's freezing."

"I was just... I don't know... "

"Waiting for Taylor?"

Kylie looked down at her feet. "Something like that."

"Oh sweetie, he won't be back for a couple hours. Why don't you come inside and warm up?"

"No it's okay. I'm just going to sit here for a few more minutes then go home."

"You were always so stubborn."

Kylie smiled.

"Come on." Diana hitched her thumb over her shoulder. "Zoe would love a playmate right about now."

"Well... " Kylie stood up, "Just for a little bit."

Diana laughed. "If you say so." She opened the door wider so Kylie could enter. "Here, I can take your coat." Diana said after closing the front door. She took Kylie's coat from her and hung it up in the hall closet.

"So where's Zoe?" Kylie asked

"She's up in her room coloring I think. You can head on up."

"Okay." Kylie climbed the stairs slowly, her eyes searching the hall at the top to make sure Zac wasn't around. She stood in the doorway to Zoe's room and watched her color. "Hey cutie. How's coloring coming?"

Zoe turned around. "Kylie! Come color with me!"

Kylie laughed and went to join her at the little table across the room. "Ah, The Little Mermaid." Kylie nodded her head as she attempted to sit down in the small chair.

"She has pretty long hair." Zoe commented, "Someday I'm going to have long hair like her."

"Your hair is already getting long." Kylie fingered a few strands of Zoe's blonde hair.

"Not as long as her's."

"That's true. Soon it'll be just as long."

"My mom has really long hair."

"Yes she does."

"Why don't you color this picture of Eric?" Zoe handed Kylie a picture that was torn out of her coloring book.

"I'd love to."

* * *

An hour later, Kylie excused herself to go use the bathroom. She saw the door was closed so she knocked, praying it was empty.

"Just a minute."

Kylie froze. She debated running to use the downstairs bathroom just so she wouldn't have to see him. She took a step to her left and was about to make a run for it when the bathroom door flung open.

He stared at her for a moment, not sure what to say.

"Um, I can just... go use the bathroom downstairs."

"I'm done." He said, catching her arm just as she turned around.

She stared down at his hand clasped around her upper arm and slowly turned back around. "O - okay." She stuttered

He released her arm and slowly walked passed her. Kylie could tell he wanted to say something but couldn't get the words to come out for some reason. She went in the bathroom and closed the door behind her, breathing a small sigh of relief.

* * *

"Hey sleepyhead, wake up. Some of us want to be able to sit on the couch when we watch tv."

Kylie slowly opened her eyes and looked around at her surroundings. As soon as everything came into focus, so noticed she was in the den downstairs. Obviously she had fallen asleep on the couch in the middle of watching an episode of Blue's Clue's with Zoe.

"Where's Zoe?" She asked, not seeing her anywhere.

"Up in her room. Scoot over." He shoved her legs off the couch and onto the floor, then sat down in their place.

She grabbed the blanket and pulled it up around her, staring over at him. He sensed her staring and turned to look at her. "What?"

"Can't you watch tv somewhere else?"

"Probably. I thought I'd hang out here with you and give you all my sick germs." He coughed loudly, then followed it up with a sneeze.

Kylie cringed and tried to shield herself with the blanket. "I'm not even supposed to be here with you so I think I'll just leave." She stood up and tossed the blanket at him.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly

She stopped short in the doorway and turned around. "If I get sick because of you I swear you're going to - "

"No." He interrupter her, "That's not what I'm apologizing for."

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh."

"I'm sorry for... putting all this pressure on you. I'm sorry if I'm giving you the impression that I want you to choose between me and Taylor. I know you'd choose him in the long run anyway, so really, it's not even worth it for me to ask you."

Kylie sighed and gave him a sympathetic look. "It's okay, Zac."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She nodded. She turned to leave, but stopped and looked back at him over her shoulder. "I hope you fell better."

"Thanks." He said

She went to the foyer and grabbed her coat out of the hall closet, putting it on. She reached for her shoes by the front door, but was smacked in the head by the door being thrown open.

"Louie, Louie! Oooh baby, I said we gotta go. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.... Louie - Oh! Ky! I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were right there." Isaac apologized after barging into the house. Taylor followed closely behind, humming to himself the song Isaac had just been singing.

"Ky, hey. What're you doing here?"

"I was coloring with Zoe, then taking my nap." She reached up to rub her head. "Ow, I better not have a bump here Ike."

"Why would she have a bump?" Taylor asked, looking at Isaac

"I kind of hit her in the head with the door."

"Ah!" Taylor bursted out laughing, then quickly stopped when he saw the look on Kylie's face. "I mean, oh no, that's so sad. Are you okay?"

"Thank you for caring, Taylor. And I will be okay as soon as I get home."

"No wait!" Taylor stopped her from leaving the house by placing his arm across the doorway.

"What?"

"I... have something to show you."

"Taylor, seriously." She rolled her eyes. "I really want to go home. Just come over later, okay?"

"No, no. This'll only take a minute." He dragged her up the stairs to his room and pushed her inside, closing the door once they were both inside.

"Make it quick." She said, folding her arms across her chest

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of gum. "I got - dammit! This isn't it." He searched the other pocket on his jeans. "Ah-ha!" He announced. "Now, before I show you what's in my pocket, I want you to promise me you're gonna love it."

"Fine. I'll love it."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay." He slowly pulled it out of his pocket, but kept it wrapped up in his hand. He held his hand out in front of her and uncurled his fist, revealing a blue guitar pick.

Kylie raised her eyebrows in question. "A... guitar pick?"

"Yeah! I got it for you because you said you thought it'd be cool to play guitar, so I talked to Ike and he said he'd teach you. Cool, huh?"

"He said he'd teach me?"

"Yeah. Anytime you want to start, you just let him know."

"Aww, Tay, you're the best!" She flung her arms around his shoulders. "Thank you so much!" She kissed his cheek and pulled away. "I think you just made my day."

"You think?"

She smiled and leaned up, kissing his lips ever-so softly. "I know." She said quietly, "And thank you."