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Chapter 2

Zig POV:

Maya. Was. Back. She ripped my heart out of my chest and left me for her career, and now she was back.

Maya had attended Julliard full scholarship while I attended Columbia partial scholarship. She left right after she graduated to go play for a famous orcistra in California, leaving me alone with a very pregnant Tori. We'd kept in touch a bit after she left. She'd write me letters about how much she loved her new life, but missed me with all her heart. I'd sent her sketches I'd saved of her, a demo of a song I'd written for her when Tristan, Maya and I were in a band, things of that nature. But soon our letters got scarcer and scarcer as time went on, until they finally stopped for good four years ago.

"Maya, you're here." I breathed. She was wearing a simple black dress, her hair simply hanging on her shoulders and back, but still looked more beautiful than my supermodel wife ever had.

"Tristan called me." She said. "Tori was that horrible, huh?" She asked after a minute. I hesitated, knowing she was one of Tori's best friends, but decided to continue.

"Yeah…she's no Maya Matlin." I said. She smiled.

"I've missed you, Zig." She said, rubbing my shoulder again. I didn't wanna tell her how good it felt, but I think the look of lust on my face gave it away. "You like that?" She giggled.

"Mmm," I moaned, closing my eyes. Maya coughed and I reopened my eyes to see Tori's mother glaring at me.

"Hey, Mrs. Santamaria." I said. Her grey eyes were puffy and she looked as if she'd been crying for days.

"Already moving on, I see." She spit. Then she pushed me to the side. Maya and I watched as she wept over her daughter's body.

"It's so sad," Maya said. I put my arm around my old friend's shoulders.

"Yeah…" I replied. My heart felt heavy with sadness at her death, because she was such a big part of my life. But at the same time, she really meant nothing to me and I was relieved that she would no longer put my children in danger.

"Wanna get out of here soon?" Maya whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. I brushed it away.

"More than you know." I replied. Maya and I waited for a while, watching friends and family as they said their goodbyes to my wife. Finally, the two of us were the only ones in the room.

Maya POV:

Finally, the two of us were the only ones in the room. Zig went and stood over the casket, just staring at Tori. Her perfect face was pale as the artic snow. Zig was on his knees, hunched over the casket, with his eyes closed.

"Daddy?" A small voice asked. I turned around to see a tiny baby no older than two.

"Chris," Zig said, standing up and walking over to the little boy. "Where's Grandma?" Zig asked, picking up the little boy. He clutched to Zig's black dress jacket and white graphic t-shirt.

"Grandma told me I should say bye to mommy." He said, hiding his face in Zig's jacket. His tiny shoulders heaved up and down, thrashing violently and he whimpered.

"Chris, don't cry." Zig whispered, sitting down on a bench with Seth. I couldn't believe how much the little boy looked like Zig.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. Things are different now." He whimpered to his dad.

"Shhh, Chris, it's alright. Things will still be the same." He said.

"Promise you'll still be daddy?" He asked, looking up for the first time. Zig was really comforting to the boy. He soothed him, and I could tell he was really good with kids.

Once the boy had calmed down, Zig walked with him up to the casket. Zig helped the tiny child stand up to he could see into the casket.

"Mommy." He whimpered, reaching out to her. Zig yanked the child away, right before his hand touched his mother's peaceful face.

"No, Chris." Zig said, not unkindly. "Time to get going…does Kick wanna say goodbye to mommy?" Zig asked the perfect little boy. Zig was so good with his kids; I knew he'd be a fine single dad.

"I send him in." Chris said, getting up and walking out of the room. Zig watched him go, pain striking his eyes. I sat down beside him in one of the pews of the funeral home. He rested his head in his hands. I wasn't sure how to act around Zig right now. I was head over heels in love with this man, but he seemed to be crushed.

"Zig," I started, placing my hand on his back. He turned his head, still bent over his knees, to face me.

"Maya, I'm so glad you're here." He said, pulling me into a hug.

"Dad?" A voice called. We broke our loving embrace to find a boy, no older than seven, standing in the doorway. Zig stood up awkwardly.

"Hey buddy," he said. "How's grandma holding up?"

"Eh, she'd devastated." He said. I was shocked at how grown up this young child was.

"Uh, Kick, this is Maya." Zig said, pushing his son toward me. This son looked just like Tori, same curly, dark hair, same brown eyes, same lean build.

"Hi, I'm Maya." I said, holding my hand out to the little boy. He just stared at me.

"Dad, isn't this the blond? From the yearbook?" Kick asked. I looked over at Zig, who was blushing a bright red. Blushing! Zig!

"Oh, uh…" Zig started.

"No, Dad, it is her! The one who has the lipstick kiss next to the picture of you too!" Kick said.

"Kick, that's enough…" Zig tried, but Kick was like his mother, and liked to talk.

"Yeah! The one Chris thinks is so pretty!"

"This isn't a conversation for ten feet away from your dead mother," Zig started in a stern voice.

"What was that she wrote in your book, Dad?" Kick asked. "'I love you, Ziggy, more than life itself. I still can't believe you get to go to Columbia while I attend Julliard! I can't wait until we're out of college so we can get married! We can finally stop practicing and start having real babies together. We'll be married and have kids, and never leave each other. I don't know what I'd ever do if we broke up. I love you so much Ziggy, words can't express it. Please, please be mine forever. Lord knows I'll be yours. With all my heart and all my love, Maya.'" Kick recited perfectly, quoting the exact thing I'd written in Zig's high school yearbook.

"Daddy, what were you and the blond practicing for? Like a game?" Kick asked. Zig's bashful shade of red turned ever darker, as did mine, and we both flashed back to that night.

*Flashback to Beginning of Senior Year of High School*

*In Zig's Room*

"Zig," Maya breathed as she kissed him. He had her pinned against his bedroom door, kissing her feverishly.

"Maya, I need you." He murmured.

"Ziggy, baby, I'm a virgin." She'd replied. He didn't stop kissing her.

"We'll, we know we're gonna get married after college, so why not start practicing now?" Zig asked, working his way down her neck.

"Aren't you a virgin?" Maya wondered as she rubbed Zig's back.

"Yes." He replied, biting her neck. She squealed in delight. "I've been saving myself for someone special, as hard as that is to believe. You're really special, Maya."

"Oh good," She moaned. "I've been saving myself too. You're really special too Zig. It's scary how much I love you."

"Maybe we should do it, since we're both special enough." Zig joked. Maya wasn't in a joking mood. No, a different kind of mood had swept over her; she had this strange feeling that she needed Zig to be with her, to kiss her, whisper to her, touch her everywhere…

"I want to. I really, really want to." Maya said. And that was it. In no time, they had their heavy winter jackets off and Zig had picked Maya up, moving her over to his bed.

She pulled his graphic t-shirt over his head and began to roam his abs. He slid off her dress and she worked on his jeans. Once they were both in their underwear, she'd began to pull at his boxers.

"Maya, wait." He said. She looked confused.

"What did I do wrong?" She questioned, suddenly feeling very insecure with her body.

"Maya, no, you're perfect. I was just gonna say, that I want your first time to be good for you, not me." She giggled.

"You thought I'd really give you a blowjob?" She laughed. He blushed and she became serious. "Because I would have." She clarified.

"Really?" He asked in shock.

"I love you Ziggy. You're worth it." She returned.

"I'll still make it good for you, though." He smiled sweetly, his innocent face had never looked happier.

"Then let's do this." She whispered before removing his boxers.

This had been the first of many, many nights where Maya stayed at Zig's house. His mother had been going on many overnight business trips at the time, and his dad wasn't exactly in the picture, so they never got caught. And every night was pure magic.

They both flashed back to the present and looked at each other.

"I guess you could call it a game." Maya said sweetly, trying not to suggest anything inappropriate for this six year old.

"Like the game of life? That's my favorite game! Mommy used to play it with me, but then she stopped." Kick said, growing sad.

"Let's say goodbye to mommy." Zig said softly, picking up his son. I just watched the loving interaction between the two.

"Mommy? Are you okay?" Kick asked. I supposed he was talking to Tori's body. Zig's face had sharp pain etched across it. "Mommy, wake up silly!" Kick called. Zig looked as if he couldn't take anymore.

"Zig, I got this." I said. Zig raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue. He just walked to the very last row in the very back of the room and watched. I held Kick on my lap in front of Tori's body.

"Who are you?" Kick asked. "And why does daddy love you?"

"What?" I wondered out loud.

"You are Maya, right?"

"Yes, I'm Maya."

"Daddy loves you! He has a picture of you in his wallet." Kick provided me with this information.

"Does he now?" I smiled to myself. He still had that picture that I'd taken for him of us by Degrassi on graduation day so long ago...

"Yeah." he said.

There was a long pause.

"Did mommy die?" He asked. I sighed.

"Yes. She did kiddo."

"I love mommy." He said, sadness filling his voice.

"I understand." I replied.

"How?" The child asked, looking into my eyes.

"My mommy died when I was a bit older than you." I told him, trying extremely hard to keep my voice from cracking. Sure, my mom had died when I was ten years older than him, but it was all the same really. Loosing a parent is hard, no matter how old you are.

"Were you sad?" his voice cracked, and tears rolled down his face.

"Very. Just as sad as you are. I missed her a lot." I told him. Kick looked up at me again.

"How'd you become happy again?" Kick wondered. I smiled slightly.

"A man named Zig Novak saved my life." I told him, remembering the day Zig literally did save my life. He saved a sixteen year old girl from shooting herself. He saved me from shooting myself.

*Flashback to sophmore year*

I was sixteen, and I'd just found out that my mother had died and I was devastated. I didn't want to cut my wrist, I was afraid of the slow death. However, I did want to die. I remember wanting to die with my mother more than anything. So I climbed to the top of Degrassi's roof. And I held a gun to my head. I was standing there in the pouring rain, deciding what my final words would be, when I heard something. Not something, but someone. And not just someone, but the best friend who I also just happened to be in love with. Zig was standing there, holding his own gun. Only he was pointing it at his head. This has striked fear in my heart.

"Zig?" I'd yelled over the loud wind and rain. "Why do you have a gun? What are you doing?"

"Because if you kill yourself, I'm killing myself." He replied. He was going all Romeo and Juliet on me.

"My mother died, Zig." I'd cried.

"I know what you're going through! My father left me when I was twelve! You don't have to do this!" He'd pleaded, yelling over the wind. "Maya, put the gun down."

"No." he took a step toward me.

"Maya, please." He pleaded. I could see tears running down his face.

"No. I'm gonna do it Zig. I can't not do it. I have to." I yelled.

"No. You don't have to. You don't have to walk away from everything you'd built your life into. You don't have to give up smiling, and breathing, and looking, and touching and living. You can let me help you. You'll feel better."

"How can I do that?" I'd cried. He'd then taken a step closer.

"By giving the gun to me." he called.

"Why would I do that?" I'd shrieked/cried.

"Because I love you, Maya." He'd returned, taking a step closer. He was just inches away now.

"You do?" I called, tears still streaming down my face.

"Of course I do." He'd said, reaching toward me.

"But I have no one here who loves me as much as she did." I'd screamed/cried. He'd huffed.

"Maya, I love you more than any best friend has ever loved another. My love for you is different. It's not friendly love, it's romantic love. And I'd give anything to be with you. Even my life." He replied.

Then he'd put his hand around the gun that my shaking hand was holding to my head. He stared into my eyes. His eyes were so green, so perfect. They made me feel happy. I loved him so much, I couldn't bare the thought of me being the reason he died. "Maya, let go." He'd said. And I did. For some reason, I'd handed him the gun. He'd stuffed it into his pocket, and then grabbed my hand, pulling me in for a hug, and taking me a few feet away from the edge.

"I love you too." I'd cried into his shirt. He'd then picked me up bridal style and carried me back down to the ground below, where were both safe.

I came back to the child here, sitting on my lap.

"Daddy saved you?" he asked, his eyes full of wonder.

"Yes he did."

"Why didn't Daddy save mommy?" he's asked me. Zig looked terrified.

"Sometimes, people can save people. But sometimes there's nothing people can do. If Daddy could go back, I'm sure he'd try and save mommy. But, mommy couldn't be saved. It was one of those times when people can't save people." I said, trying to put it softly for a six year old. Zig came over to us and put his arms around Kick.

"I have you, Kick. You, Chris and me, we'll be alright." He said, clutching the little boy close to him. Chris hugged him back.

"Why's the girl you and mommy fight about here?" Chris asked. Zig looked into his eyes.

"What?" He'd questioned.

"Mommy always said "she'd never be Maya." And you always said "yeah, Maya was something special. Not like you". Why is Maya so special?" Kick asked. I looked into Zig's eyes.

"Kick, go find Grandma, she'll drive you home. I'll meet you there soon. I love you." Zig said.

"I love you too Daddy!" Kick said, placing a sloppy kiss on Zig's face. Then he ran out of the room. Zig was truly embarrassed.

"Hey, Ziggy-" I'd started, but he cut me off.

"Maya, you should come to the Dot with me…if you wanna!" He said, almost quoting the first time he invited me out to lunch all the way back in grade 9.

"Okay…I'll come." I said, smiling. His innocent, charming eyes got softer.

"Okay." He smiled sweetly. "C'mon, this place wants to close."

"Wait, isn't there a burial service?" I'd asked. He laughed.

"Hell no. Her family's burying her in their plot. I'm not invited to the ceremony." Zig said, sounding a bit hurt.

"Zig, let me but you lunch." I said.

"Doesn't the man pay for the woman?" He asked as he helped me slid on my coat. We walked out of the funeral parlor and into the parking lot. He lead me to a black Hyundai sonata and opened the door for me. I noticed the two children's car seats in the back and smiled to myself. Zig seemed like such a good dad.

*At The Dot*

"Hey, Peter." Zig called to the man behind the Dot's counter. Peter grinned and went over to the front door to give Zig a fist bump.

"Zig-my-man! What's happening?" Peter asked. Zig sighed.

"Today was the funeral." Zig replied.

"The bitch finally bit the dust, huh?" Peter asked. I was outraged. As horrible as Tori was, she was still my best friend! And Zig's wife!

"Peter! Bite your tongue!" I scolded. Peter looked ashamed.

"Sorry My, I just…wait a second!" Peter called to the almost empty Dot. "Maya! You're here!" He ran around the counter and literally picked me up in a bone crushing hug.

"Yeah, I'm back. I got a job teaching music at Degrassi, believe it or not." I laughed once he'd set me down.

"Oh god!" Peter seemed excited about something. "You two are here on a date?" He questioned, grinning like an idiot.

"My wife just died." Zig growled to his friend.

"Zig, all you've talked about for the past six years is how much you miss Maya Matlin. Maya's sooooo perfect, Maya's sooooo talented, Maya's sooooooooo damn beautiful! All you did was blubber about how she tore your heart out, threw it in the trash, and left you alone with Tori." Peter said. Zig tried to stop him, but he rambled on.

"Darcy even told me to invite you for dinner so you wouldn't have to unload your feelings about Maya crushing your soul in public. She was gonna set you up with that sister of hers, but Clare's married to that Eli dude now. He's nice enough." Peter rambled. "I just wish Maya would've come six years ago! She'd be a way better mom to Kick and Chris! I mean, all I've heard for six miserable years is how much you wanted to go back to college and propose to Maya so she wouldn't leave and take your heart and virginity with her-" Zig cut Peter off by yelling,

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! Now everyone in here knows!" Zig said, annoyed. Peter laughed.

"Oh please! Everyone here are regular customers! They know the whole story already."

"Peter, I will kill you with this napkin dispenser." Zig threatened. His eyes were serious and seemed to scream "I WILL USE THIS!" as he held up the metal box.

"Fine, fine. I'm not judging. Just go sit down at the table in the corner where you two always sat and I'll bring the usual. Maya, it's still the classic burger with melted Swiss cheese and sweet potato fries, right?" Peter asked. "And a diet coke?"

"Yes! Peter, you remembered!" I said happily, still taken aback by Zig and Peter's conversation.

"Hell yeah I did. You ordered that 99 percent of the time when you came here."

"That was high school." I laughed.

"Only 8 years ago. I honestly wasn't expecting you to get back together until the ten year anniversary, but hey! The sooner the better! This one," he said pointing to Zig. "Needs to get off my barstool. He's clogging valuable seating and driving customers away with his unmanly tears." Peter said.

"Will do." I returned, a bit confused. Zig and I sat down.

"So Maya, tell me about the last six years of your life."

"I've changed a lot." I replied. Zig smiled.

"How so?"

"I don't know…new hair cut, new clothes, new job. Things of that nature." I said. "So what the hell was peter talking about?"

"Oh god..." Zig blushed.

"And Kick said you have a picture of me in your wallet?"

"Yeah...I do. Tori always hated that." Zig laughed. "But Kick thinks your really pretty. And Chris autchually started calling you mommy. I had a glass of wine on night," He started.

"You mean you had a bottle of wine." I laughed, interupting

"A few glasses while babysitting the boys. Tori was at fricken fashion week. Anyway, I showed them the picture and told them I loved you. And Kick thought you were pretty and Chris thought you were mommy when she was younger." Zig laughed. I loved his laugh. I made me want to lean across the table and kisss him.

"Kick? You named him Kick?" I laughed.

"I was twenty years old." He defended. I chuckled.

"I think it suits him." I replied.

"Enough about me, I wanna know about you." Zig said.

"What do you wanna know?" I asked.

"Do you still believe in soul mates?" Zig wondered, leaning in. His breath was hot on my face and I almost didn't want to tell him the news. But I had to.

"Ziggy…I don't believe in love anymore. Never will." I said. His mouth dropped open. He just stared at me as the other two customers and Peter watched us as well.

"You don't still love me?" He whispered. I fought tears.

"After we broke up, I decided that my only true love had left me. No more love for me. Not then, not now, not ever." I told him. And I think I heard his heart break inside his chest.