Disclaimer: i own nothing.
Every day when you wake up, it's hard to imagine this day will be different from the next day. You get up at the same time, you do the same things, and you live the same life. It seems as though nothing at all has changed. So there's nothing new to look forward to. Taylor has lived that same life for about four years now. The only thing that's changed was waking up in a new home. She has found nothing big to look forward to. But today, that was going to change.
It started with Taylor waking up and making breakfast. She didn't bother to change out of her nightwear or do her hair; that she could do later. Not even halfway through making the pancake batter, Taylor heard a knock at the door. She had no idea it could have been this early. Sighing, she turned off the stove and moved the pan and batter. "Just a minute." Taylor called. She pulled her hair back into a small pony tail and stopped in the laundry room to put on a bathrobe. No matter who it was, she didn't exactly want to look like a mess. Especially if it had anything to do with what had happened yesterday. Finishing, Taylor walked over to do the door and unlocked it. The real shock came when she opened it.
He looked so much like him. His hair was as curly as ever, though much shorter than she had remembered it before he left. He had the same build but looked even fitter, if that were even possible. He had the same stunning brown eyes that she remembered staring into. He had the same smile that made her melt every time she saw it. Everything about him was just as she remembered. Taylor found herself staring at the same guy she fell in love with. For a moment, she even thought she was dreaming. He couldn't be here; it was impossible. Taylor was speechless. All she could think about was that it was a dream. There was no other explanation. All this time when Taylor had seen him she had been so ecstatic, only to wake up and realize she'd been dreaming all along. Staring at him with his bright loving eyes and that same warm smile made her feel like she was really looking at him, that this was a reality. But when he spoke, and when he said her name, it didn't feel like a dream.
"Hey Tay."
Taylor couldn't remember the last time he heard that voice. It was almost like she had gone back in time. This was most definitely not a dream. "Chad…?" she responded, to be sure.
His smile grew wider hearing her voice again. "Tay!" he exclaimed, taking her in his arms and spinning her around.
In her mind, Taylor knew this was impossible. There was no way this could really be happening in reality outside of her dreams. But in her heart, it was. "Oh my God, Chad!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Without even another word they instantly kissed, exploring old territory and reclaiming what was rightfully theirs. They ended up on the couch, both refusing to pull away. Taylor could feel Chad's hands caressing her body like they always had as her fingers became tangled in his hair missing those soft curls. It wasn't until they both needed air that they pulled away from each other. Taylor looked up at Chad, locking eyes with him, slowly taking in the happy reality that this wasn't a dream and he really was right n top of her.
"You're really here." She breathed.
"You were expecting maybe a ghost?" Chad joked. He had not lost that same sense of humor.
"It's not that." Taylor shook her head. "But I thought you were…" How to explain this to him?
Chad raised an eyebrow, having no idea of what Taylor went through or what everyone was told. "Thought I was what?"
"Dead." Taylor admitted. She let the harsh word escape her, hoping that was the last time she'd ever have to think it.
"Wait…why would you think I was dead?" Chad asked. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but Chad knew when he was dead or alive. And right now he was pretty sure he was living.
"That's what I was told when I heard about the plane crash." Taylor said softly, breaking eye contact with him.
Chad shook his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. After four years of hardships and torture, the love of his life actually thought he had been dead? At that point, he had one main concern. "Please tell me you never remarried."
"Oh no, never." Taylor answered immediately. Every time someone had suggested that to her, she would decline without any second thoughts.
"Good." Chad sighed with relief. At least he hadn't lost Taylor to another man.
But Taylor was still curious. 'So if you didn't die then what did happen?" she asked.
Chad slowly got off of Taylor and she sat up beside him. "It wasn't the plane crash that killed anyone. See, I was getting on the plane to help the pilot bring some injured soldiers home so they could get better treatment, or else they'd never make it. But when we were high in the air, something shot at us and the plane started smoking and bursting into flames. We crashed and there were more injuries but we all survived. The plane was still burning but the next thing we knew, we were surrounded. There were enemies all around us. They grabbed us and took us away. The only one that was left behind was the pilot, because he was trapped under some materials. We were taken away by the enemies and then next thing we knew, we saw what was left of the plane explode."
"So when the only person seen was the pilot and no one else was in sight…that's when those soldiers sent out the word about all of you ding." Taylor realized.
"I guess that explains why there were never any search parties to find us." Chad sighed. He had to admit, he felt awfully disappointed. He didn't even volunteer for this fight, he was drafted into it. And he was repaid for his serving the country by getting assumed that he was dead and telling his family and friends and breaking their hearts?
Taylor lightly placed her hand on his shoulder. "Then what happened?" she asked softly.
Chad looked at her. "Guess you could say we were their prisoners. Or hostages. I don't even know. But we were locked up and those guys barely did anything with us. There were about five other soldiers with me, and only two of them ended up surviving somehow." Chad explained. "We thought of a ton of plans to escape but every time we tried it was no good. We were stuck there for I don't know how long. I guess with all the time that passed, it must have been a few years. When we finally did manage to escape, we took out a couple of guards and disguised ourselves. We stole one of their copters and flew away. It was like a miracle, I guess."
"And then you came here." Taylor finished.
"Not exactly." Chad shook his head. "As soon as we landed back here in the states, the two soldiers went to get checked out and healed completely. I mean, one of them was in really bad shape after all that, but the fact that two of them even did survive in the condition they were in was a miracle. We got rides back to our homes. I thought you'd still be in New York so that's where I went. But when I got there, you weren't there. No one was. I had to bug the neighbors and they just told me you moved. I figured if you moved anywhere it'd be Albuquerque."
"And you knew to look in this very house?" Taylor quirked an eyebrow.
"The original plan was going door to door and see if anyone could help." Chad shrugged his shoulders. Then he smiled, "But I saw your car in the driveway. I know that thing anywhere. Only you would have a bumper sticker on your car that says 'I love Chemistry'."
Taylor smiled. "What can I say; I'm a sucker for chemistry."
"Well the only chemistry I'm a sucker for is ours." Chad grinned.
"I've never been so happy to hear one of your corny lines." Taylor smiled.
"You love my corny lines." Chad teased playfully.
"I do. Very much." Taylor smiled, giving him another kiss.
"I love you too." Chad smiled.
Taylor then remembered something. She still had CJ sleeping upstairs. He didn't know his dad was here. He never even met his dad. Chad had no idea they had a son. "I have to get something upstairs." She told him. "There's someone I want you to meet."
"Who is it?" Chad asked as she got off the couch.
"You'll see." Taylor responded before heading upstairs. "No peeking."
Chad shrugged his shoulders. He closed his eyes and covered them. Maybe it was a puppy or something. What was he supposed to know anyway?
Taylor made her way into CJ's room. She could see him still sleeping soundly. Taylor hated to wake him so early, but he had to see this. "CJ, wake up." She whispered.
He shifted in his sleep a little, but wasn't awake.
"CJ." She said again.
CJ yawned and his eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Taylor.
"Come downstairs." She told him.
"But I wants to sleep some more." He replied.
"You'll have your nap later." Taylor promised. "You have to come downstairs. There's someone waiting for you."
"Who?" he asked, rubbing his eyes as Taylor picked him up.
"Well, you know how you have all those pictures of your dad?" she asked.
"Uh-huh." He nodded.
"And how I said he's not here with us?" she added.
"Uh-huh." CJ nodded again. "But you said even if he not here, he still here with us."
"Well, it's not like that anymore." Taylor replied as she took him downstairs. "He's here." They walked into the living room and Chad was sitting there on the couch, though still with his eyes closed. Taylor giggled. "Chad you can open your eyes now."
CJ looked up at Taylor, thinking she was talking to him. "My eyeses aren't closed."
"Actually…" Taylor started.
Chad opened his eyes and looked over to Taylor. He saw Taylor holding the little boy, at first being completely clueless. He got off the couch and walked over to them, not all too sure what to say. So when he didn't speak, Taylor did.
"Chad this is CJ, your son." She explained. "CJ, this is your dad."
Still, Chad remained speechless. It wasn't that he forgot he and Taylor had a kid, he knew they did. But it had been so long. Chad never even knew what it was going to be. And now because of one stupid misunderstanding and how long it took him to get home, he missed out on so much. He was meeting his own son for the first time in four years and he didn't even know him.
CJ seemed a little less shocked, almost like he was expecting it. He tilted his head and looked at Chad. "Dada?" he asked.
Chad opened his mouth to reply, but he'd lost all will to speak. He was still trying to absorb it all in. So he merely nodded.
CJ then climbed out of Taylor's arms and into Chad's automatically cuddling up to him. There didn't need to be any overexcitement or anything. Sure, it was something to be excited about, but it wasn't necessary. All that mattered was that he was here and they were all back together. It should be something to be grateful for, and that's exactly what CJ seemed to think of it. Chad looked at his son and smiled, automatically accepting his embrace. He then looked to Taylor and smiled warmly.
"We have a son." He breathed.
"I know we do. I used to change his diapers." Taylor nodded. To her, it was no longer the big deal that it was when CJ was born. But she knew how much it meant to Chad. Not just that they had a son, but to know that Taylor had raised him well and that after all the time that passed he was still there and accepted Chad so quickly and easily.
"I love him." He told Taylor, as though it wasn't obvious enough.
"I know." Taylor nodded with a smile. "And CJ loves you too. Whether you're here or not."
"No more worries about that." Chad shook his head right away. "I'm not even gonna think about going anywhere again. It took me this long to get here, so now I'm here to stay."
"That means we have a lot of catching up to do." Taylor smiled.
"I look forward to it." Chad replied with a smile of his own before kissing her.
"Ew, gross." CJ giggled.
Taylor pulled away and looked at CJ. "You say that now. Wait until you're older."
"What happens then?" CJ asked.
Taylor automatically pointed to Chad. "Your father will explain that for you."
CJ looked up at Chad.
Chad bit his tongue. Great, he was put on the spot already? Alright he had to think now…. What would a responsibly parent say or do? "Hey, who wants a cookie?" he blurt out.
"Me, me! I do, I do!" CJ exclaimed. He jumped down and ran into the kitchen, more than ready to try and snatch one of the cookies from the cookie jar.
Taylor raised an eyebrow at Chad and folded her arms. "Cookies for breakfast?"
Chad smiled weakly and shrugged his shoulders. "I had no choice…?" He attempted to get off the hook.
"You are so lucky I can't get mad at you after almost five years." She told him.
"I think I'm more surprised what you named our son." Chad stated. "What's CJ short for anyway?"
"Chad Jr." Taylor admitted.
Chad couldn't help but chuckle. "I made a joke years ago about that if we ever had a son and I strictly remember you saying…" He even tried to mimic her voice, although he didn't do the best job, "…'the day I name my son after any man is the day that I decide to drop my knowledge and future to become an old cat lady'."
Taylor shrugged her shoulders. "We didn't exactly have a chance to decide on a name. And he was the last thing I had of you, so it made sense."
Chad's grin started to grow. "I may hear you talking, but I see no cats in this house." He chuckled.
Taylor smiled and playfully hit his chest. "No cats here. CJ wants a dog."
"Does he?" Chad inquired. "What kind?"
"A blue one." She answered.
That completely stumped Chad. "They make blue dogs now? How long was I gone, really?"
Taylor giggled and pecked him on the cheek.
CJ poked his head out of the kitchen. "Breakfast time yet?" he asked.
"In a minute, honey. We'll be right there." Taylor told him.
"Kay kay." CJ replied going over to the kitchen table and waiting patiently for his parents.
Taylor turned back to Chad. "Why don't you spend the day with CJ?" she suggested. "I know it can't get back any of the time you missed, but the both of you deserve it. You can get to know each other better. He needs special father/son time."
"So when does that leave special you/me time?" Chad asked. He was in no way against the idea at all. Chad loved the idea of spending an entire day with his son. It wasn't the exact way he pictured his first day back home, but they both really did need it. However, he also hadn't seen Taylor in years and he wanted time with her as well. Even if they still had parental obligations, Chad didn't want anything coming in between that.
"Tonight after CJ goes to bed." Taylor answered. "After breakfast, I'll get out some of your clothes I saved. You can take CJ out for the day, for lunch, wherever you two want to go, and be back by dinner."
"You sure you won't be jealous?" Chad teased playfully.
Taylor smiled and nodded. "I'm positive."
"Alright." Chad replied with a smile. He kissed her cheek, "But I'm holding you to your promise for tonight."
"Done, and done." Taylor smiled. They then headed into the kitchen only to hear CJ ask,
"Where's breakfast cookies?"
I told you guys it was going to get better. Did you really think I'd seriously kill of Chad of all people? NEVER! But by all means, this is not the end of the story. Ok, so i said the story would be short and it technically is, but it's not over yet cause more is gonna happen. It's gonna be like a slower development and we'll get to see the adjustment and how everything turns out and then watch as some drama begins to unfold and makes everyone crazy. Plus after like 3 chapters without Chad we need to make up for all that lost time. So as usual, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and i really can't wait to hear what you guys think of it. I will update the next chance i get, which should be sometime within the week. Happy week, everyone! c: