WOW! A new character! Who also has ties to the Animorphs! What fun!


Chapter 5

He was facing away from me, ringing the doorbell, but I could still recognize him.

He looked different.

But not so different. I could still see the boy I used to know in the man that stood in front of me.

He rang the bell one more time, then turned to leave, saw me, and froze.

We stood there a second, each shocked by the other.

"God," he finally said, breathless. "I didn't think I'd ever find you."

I reached down to pick up my keys. "What are you doing here?"

He took a step closer, and I stood up.

He was beautiful.

Inside me, I was crying with despair and regret that I had left almost a decade ago. That I had abandoned him…and Hope…

But I shut that part of me up real quick. That girl that used to be me is gone. I am here now.

"I was in town…business…and…well…looking people up is a lot easier these days."

He looked at me shyly, almost turned away, as I shuffled my bags from one hand to another.

"I've missed you-"

"Alex," I said, and he broke off, startled, embarrassed, hurt. "Alex," I repeated, letting that sink in. "I'm sorry. You shocked me for a minute. Do you want to come in?"

He nodded. "That would be nice."

I fumbled with the keys and pushed the door open.

I put the bags on the counters as I stepped inside their area.

He looked around, smiling a little.

"I see you've done well."

"Yes," I said, going through the cupboards.

"You're a journalist."

"That's right."

I was bored and slightly angry with this pointless talk. He must know about me, who I am now.

"Look," he said, leaning forward, elbows on the counter as I slapped down a box of Triscuits. "I'm sorry I've upset you. I just thought I'd drop by…see how you were…I wouldn't have come if I'd known you'd be…"

"What!" I yelled, slamming the refrigerator door. "Be so what!"

"Angry…" he said quietly. "I thought you might be happy…"

I put my hand to my forehead and rubbed my temple.

"I'll just go then."

He turned and started walking towards the door.

"Alex, wait!"

He stopped.

I shook my head and put my hand down to my hip. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be acting this way. You just surprised me. I wasn't expecting…"

I looked at him helplessly and tried to smile.

"Forgive me?"

"Always have," he said airily, moving back to the counter space and sitting on one of the stools.

I struggled to arrange the Triscuits on a plate, giving up in disgust and just throwing them in a bowl, and brought it with me as I gently sat down beside him.

Alex turned.

"So, Taylor…how are you?"

I nodded. "Fine. And you?"

"Fine."

"So what's this 'business' you're here for?"

He folded his hands on the counter. "Just business. Research."

"For what?"

"Are journalists always so nosy?" He smiled.

"I've only asked you two questions. That's not nosy."

"And if I said I don't want to talk about it?"

"Then I'll leave you alone."

"Fine. I don't want to talk about it."

"Fine."

"Fine."

We stared off into space.

"I have missed you, though…" he said gently.

I made a derisive sound. "Come on. Don't fool yourself."

"About what?" he asked as I got up.

I reached for a glass, and filled it with water.

"I am not that girl."

"What girl?" Alex asked as I sipped.

"The girl from nine years ago."

"I know that."

"Do you?" I gestured towards the glass, and he declined.

"So who are you?"

I set the glass down with a clink. "Don't let's start this. I don't want to play games."

"What do you want?"

"I don't know. I didn't want to have to run into any of you ever again, and now look where we are!"

"Taylor." He said my name sadly. "Why do you keep running from us? Why don't you return Hope's calls? Why-"

"I didn't run!" I yelled. "I didn't!"

"Then what do you call it?" He asked quietly.

I shook my head, at a loss. "Alex…"

I looked at him. Hair the same as ever. In his face. Messy. Serious brown eyes. Smooth, pale lips…I had kissed those lips before…

"Alex…it was over. It was just over. We were different. I couldn't stick around any more."

He was silent. "I understand. I really do. But still…"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry if I left you. But that was a long time ago. Can't we be past it?"

"Yeah," he said. "We can be past the past."

I smiled sarcastically. "Funny."

But I let the tension go out of me, and tried to get past the awkwardness.

"So…tell me about yourself."

"What's to tell?" He asked, arms spread wide. "I worked Intelligence for awhile. Pretty boring. I was an intern Emissary for awhile."

"Really?" I asked, interested. "For who?"

"Earth and Andalites."

"Oh. Of course." I smiled blandly.

"Yeah. Didn't last long though…the Andalites are…very difficult to get along with. I'm not sure how it is now, but when I worked, very few were willing to accept humans as allies."

"Figures," I snorted.

"Tell me about it…and then I was unemployed for awhile…stayed with our old friends…now I'm in off-side governmental stuff."

"Oh, you mean the Resistance?"

He laughed. "Yup, that's what I mean. Rooting out Yeerk forces everywhere! I was hoping to sound mysterious and cool, but you caught me." He laughed again.

I raised an eyebrow. I mean…what?

"Okay…" he trailed off, knowing he had sounded immature, and folded his hands again. "How about you?"

"College. Internship. Journalist. National Award, once."

"I heard. I tried to find you that time, give you a quick shout. Your agent was very harsh with me." He looked amused.

I groaned. "I remember him. Cost me a fortune, and he never did anything."

"Except tell off ex-boyfriends."

I looked at him sharply.

"Sorry."

"So," I said coolly. "Got a girlfriend?"

"No. You?"

"Have a girlfriend?" I asked.

"No," he said quickly. "Boyfriend?"

"Not now."

"Oh." he looked…disturbed.

"Alex…I've gone on with life. I have a new life."

"Taylor," he nodded, looking bitter. "I always wondered…"

"What?"

"Nothing…" he looked past me, that far-away look in his eyes.

"Look, it was nice seeing you and all, but I need to be going," I said, standing up to implicate he should to.

He did.

We walked towards the door.

"Where are you headed?"

"Chicson Elementary."

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"To pick up my daughter."

He stopped walking.

"Your daughter?"

I nodded darkly. "Like I said, things have changed."

He looked shocked. "You…you never told me…"

"There was nothing to tell," I said pointedly, shutting the door on him.