-1I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only.

Chapter Seven

Zack's Return to LA

Screech was glad that his family life was stable because everything else that seemed to be going on around him with his friends right now seemed absolutely crazy.

Of course when Zack had done a runner the first thing he had to deal with was organise substitute cover for his classes. Still at least Zack had made contact now so they were at least all able to stop worrying.

His office phone was about to ring as he was about to go and cover a study hall for Zack.

'Hi Sam. It' s Josie.'

'Josie, everything okay? Your Mum alright? You alright?'

'Relax, Sam, everything is fine. I just called to tell you my good news. I got accepted to Cal Tech for my masters degree.'

'Josie, that's terrific, congratulations , I'm so happy for you.'

'Thanks Sam, I wanted to call you first. You were the one that got me in to computer science and all things techie. I love modifying Kevin in my spare time as you know.'

'Maybe its about time we built him a wife, or at least a companion', Screech joked.

'Sam, that's a fantastic idea. When can we get to work?'

'I was only kidding Josie, but I guess it would be nice to work on something new. Maybe your Mum could help again, when she's not too busy with her doctoral thesis of course.'

After the study hall , Screech waited to take Zack's homeroom register and it was an easy enough for once. Everyone had showed up for the end of the school day, none of the kids had cut and just for a change he left school only an hour or so after the kids did. He was usually there at least an hour after the kids had gone home each night.

When he picked Joseph up from school on his way home he bumped in to Slater and asked him if there was any more news on the arson attacks.

'None at all Screech. But the good news is, there hasn't been anymore. But then I have now got out of hours security patrol at every one of the California gyms. It's not even something we ever had to think about before.'

When Screech arrived home, Nicola and Josie were both home from uni early and making dinner. Sophie was there too, she was still refusing to go back to Stanford and had been working on her undergraduate thesis at home so she could be there for her Mum. She just wanted her Dad to come home, but he had just kept saying soon, when he had the chance to figure some things out.

'A fulll house for dinner tonight then, that's a rarity.' Screch couldn't even remember the last time they had all sat down and ate dinner together as a family on a week night.

While the women carried on cooking, Screech helped Joseph with his reading homework that they gave all the pre-school kids. He had missed out on all this with Paul and was so grateful he had the chance to do it all with Joseph.

After dinner they sat down to make plans to build a new robot companion for Kevin. Even Sophie stayed and joined in, even though she had absolutely no interest in computer science.

'Isn't your boyfriend or I should I say fiance now missing you Sophie?'

'He isn't my fiance anymore, he's not even my boyfriend anymore. I broke up with him.'

'But why?'

'Because after my Dad walked out on my Mum and Travis, I realised I don't actually want to get married, ever. I don't want that to ever happen to me.'

'Sophie, none of us are quite sure whats going on with your Dad, but I'm sure he will be home soon and work things out with your Mum.'

'I'm not so sure, he has never walked out on us before. Mum said they didn't even have a row, so none of us get why he did it.'

'That has us all baffled Sophie, none of us do.'

The only other thing Screech did know, was that Zack had spoken a little more to Lisa about things and had asked Lisa not to say anything to anyone until he had figured out what he was going to do. Screech didn't tell Sophie that though, he knew Sophie so well that she would only probe him for more information that he simply didn't have.

Screech's other worry was that he was going to have to professionally reprimand Zack for his sudden dissappearence. Though he wasn't going to be too hard on him as Zack had once covered for him when Paul first showed up in his life. But he still had to make Zack see that as a teacher, he had a responsibility to his students and the school and that meant he couldn't just go taking off on a whim, no matter how troubled he might be.

The time Sophie left for home in her Dad's car, it was gone eleven, Joseph had been asleep for three hours already and Screech couldn't wait to get a decent nights sleep himself. Except a phone call he received as he was about to climb the stairs put an end to that prospect. The number flashing was Zack's cell.

'Hey Screech, I've come home. I'm in a bar downtown. Want to come and meet me? I've already called Slater, he's coming along.'

'Zack, I have to be up early.'

'So do I, if I still have a job that is. But please Screech, I really want to see you guys. I know I've only been gone three weeks, but I've missed you.'

'Okay. What bar are you in?'

Screech took down the address of one of the newer popular bars downtown and told Nicola what was going on. He had a feeling he was going to be consuming alcohol when he got there, so he called a cab to take him there. He arrived the same time as Slater arrived outside.

'At least he has come home. His call gave me a fright though. When I heard my phone ring, my first thought was there had been another arson attack on one of the gyms.'

Inside Zack was sat at one of the tables drinking a beer, there was already one waiting for Screech and a large orange juice waiting for Slater.

'So the wanderer returns', Zack sat down next to Screech.

'Hey preppy, good to have you home. Now are you going to tell us why you took off like that or not? Taking off in a dramatic fashion with no explanation, that's something I assosciate with Jessie, not you.'

Zack then told them everything about the day he had walked out on Kelly and why and how it had made him feel.

'I miss Kelly so much', Zack confessed as he started on his second beer. I want to go home so much, but how can I knowing that she lied to me and doesn't trust me?'

'Zack, you should be talking about this with Kelly , not us.'

'I can't, because the minute I go home, the minute I see her, I won't want to leave again.'

'But isn't that the idea?', Screech was confused and Zack really wasn't making much sense, but then who knew how many beers Zack had drank before they arrived.

Zack could drink copious amounts of wine and spirits and still make sense but it was always a different story when he drank beer.

'Screech, I don't know if I can go back.'

'Of course you can, its where you belong Preppy and you know it',Slater encouraged. 'Remember the time Jessie left me with no explanation, I remember how I felt. I know how Kelly's feeling right now Zack and its not something I ever want to feel again. You need to at least go and talk things out with her, but tomorrow, after work and when you are sober. Tonight you can stay in one of our spare rooms. Jessie will be glad you've arrived back home safely too.'

'What did you do in London for three weeks on your own anyway?'

'Got bored, got a bit drunk alone in my room like some lonely middle aged man, because that was exactly how I felt. The rest of the time I just passed the days as any tourist would, visited the museums, walked around the parks, went to Oxford Street and Regent Street and looked round the shops and that was something it felt the strangest thing of all doing without Kelly. But the really stupid thing is one day I even bought a present for Kelly. I saw a ring I knew she would really like and bought it for her for our upcoming wedding anniversary. It was only after I bought it and had it gift wrapped by the jeweller and was outside, that I realised exactly why I was there in London to begin with.'

'Okay, Zack, lets go for the big one here. Do you still love Kelly?', Screech asked.

'Of course, you guys know that. Back in school, other girls came and went, including Stacey , but Kelly was the only one I ever wanted, the only one I ever really loved and cared about and could see myself spending the rest of my life with.'

'Then I know you two can work things out, you have too.'

'I'm still not sure we can Screech', Zack started on another beer as he started to go over it all again, again and again.

When Slater looked at his watch it was half past three in the morning.

'Hey , we had better go soon, we've all got to be up for work in a few hours.'

The music had been loud in the club, but then when he looked at his phone, Slater noticed he had three missed calls from Jessie, but she hadn't left any voicemails. He called her as soon as they were outside waiting for a cab.

'Sorry Jessie, I didn't hear the phone ringing in the bar , it was really loud in there.'

'That's what I presumed. But listen I took a phone call a little while ago from police in Nevada. They've attacked the Reno gym, not arson this time, vandalism.'

'What kind of vandalism?'

'The worst Slater. The double glazed glass fronted windows were no obstacle for the ram raiders truck. Slater, it was just on the news, it looks terrible. The building is still standing, but that's about it. Whoever did it, went on a complete rampage. The reporters are saying they have caused millions of dollars of damage.'

'I'm coming home now, someone really is out to destroy us.'

Jessie was sat glued to the news item when Slater arrived home with Zack.

'Welcome home Zack, its good to have you back. Slater, you had better come and watch this.'

The three of them sat back down on the sofa and watched the screen as they showed the vandalised gym and what was left of the equipment at all angles. After they moved on to other news, Zack discreetly went to bed leaving Jessie to comfort Slater who looked more stressed than he had ever seen him.

'I'm sure they will get to the bottom of all this soon', Jessie hoped they would anyway, because she wasn't sure just how much more her husband could take.