I know. I'm a bad person D: I promised to update yesterday, and I didn't. Which is why I'm updating on a Wednesday! I'm really sorry. School… I was swamped with homework.
Thanks to everyone who pointed out the flaw in Zach's mom's name. I can't believe I did that(: I'm fixing it! Don't worry(:
Thanks to topXsecret and SpanishGallagherGirl!
Also, thank you to Y'ALL! The number of reviews I've gotten? Absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe it. Honestly. Thank you. I try to show my appreciation by responding to reviews, and I hope y'all can see that.
Here it is! Because it is a Wednesday, it's short (but still a few hundred words longer than my shortest!). I'm sorry!
I'm going to do my absolute best to update tomorrow, but if I don't, the next update will be Saturday. I'm going out of town, and while I can update while there, we'll be in the car Friday(: I'll write on the drive, though! So y'all will get it an extra-long chapter(:
Good thing I wrote this before I went to tumbling, because I'm having a little meltdown since ALL of my finished pre-cal homework was ruined by the rain. Review and brighten my day a little? Love y'all!
"Yes, sir," Zach knew what was coming. I did, too.
"Catherine Goode's son?"
"Yes, sir," Zach said again.
My father looked like he couldn't breathe, and he was turning red in the face.
I knew where his mind had jumped to. He spent so many years of his life studying the Circl and preparing to take them down that it was highly unlikely he didn't know the Goode name, "I know, Dad. He's not with the Circle."
He didn't look convinced, "How do you know that? He's the heir to the 'throne'!"
"He left that behind, Dad. He's not with them!"
"You can't be sure of that."
"I can! How could I not be when killed his mother for me? His own mother!"
He looked like a train had hit him, "What?"
"Zach killed his mother so that I could be safe. He's not a threat. He loves me. He would never endanger me in anyway."
Still reeling from this latest information, he asked quietly, "The Circle… is gone?"
Zach had been quiet while I defended him, but now he stepped in, "For now. There's always a chance they could rise again, but we're keeping a close watch."
"We'll give you the details later. In a more private place," I promised.
Realizing it wasn't safe to discuss everything here, his father instincts kicked in once again and turned to Zach, "You love my daughter?"
Zach didn't turn away from my dad's stare, "More than anything in the world. I would give my life for her."
"Don't hurt my baby or I'll hurt you." (Clichéd. Gosh darn it!)
"I won't. I promise," no one could deny the sincerity and promise in Zach's voice.
Zach seemed so serious, so genuine, and I couldn't help but kiss him quickly.
Dad gave me a slightly disapproving look, "You've grown up, Cammie."
Over the initial shock of seeing my dad again, the hurt and anger had returned, "Well, if you had been there instead of disappearing, maybe it wouldn't have seemed like such a big change."
Zach and my dad both gave me shocked looks.
"You promised you'd come back. You didn't. You lied."
"It wasn't exactly in my plans, Cammie!"
"Why didn't you come looking for us? We cried for years. Mom? Mom was devastated. At father and daughter dances? I was alone," tears started to leak through my eyelids, and Zach pulled me into his arms.
I tried to pull away, but then the day caught up to me, and I started to sob, and Zach just held me closer.
Why had he left us alone? He was here. Free! Safe! And, he hadn't come for us?
"Cam… Gallagher Girl… It's okay. Don't cry," Zach smoothed my hair, patted my back, wiped away my tears, kissed my head… anything to get me to stop crying. I know he hated it when I cried only because he hated seeing me hurt.
"Cammie, just let me explain," my dad tried to say over my tears.
Zach must have shot him a look because he was quiet.
"Cammie, do you want to go back to the hotel? We can talk there and you could take a nap if you wanted," he kissed my temple.
I nodded against his shirt. Which I had ruined by now. It was a gift, too. I knew people must be staring, but I didn't really care.
He called for the waitress even though we hadn't gotten any farther than ordering drinks. When my stomach growled even though I wasn't hungry, Zach asked her to make some sandwiches to go.
I knew Zach wouldn't let me skip a meal, but a sandwich really didn't appeal to me. Pushing my tears and hurt to the back of my mind, I knew I could be strong for another half hour. I had been trained for this. I sniffed, "Zach?"
He looked at me. Worried, of course, "Yes?"
I sniffed again, "Can I have some pasta instead?"
He laughed and pulled me against his chest, "Of course, sweetheart."
Back at the hotel, I was laying on the bed wrapped in a blanket with some hot chocolate and popping an Aleve into my mouth. I always got headaches when I cried.
Zach didn't want to leave me alone when I was like this, but I had shooed him out of the room so that I could think. I needed some time to open up my mind so that I wasn't biased when my dad tried to explain.
Zach's head poked around the door of the bedroom, "Cammie? Are you feeling any better?"
I shrugged.
He walked over to the bed and snuggled up next to me. He kissed my cheek and whispered, "I think you should give your dad the chance to explain."
"I know. I will."
"He's really torn up. You shouldn't keep him waiting, but only come when you're ready."
"I'm ready."
He took my hand and pulled me into the living area of the suite.
We sat on the couch together, and I leaned into Zach as much as I could.
My dad sat across from us, and seeing the expectant and open expression on my face, he started to explain.
