Disclaimer: All characters are owned by ABC and AMC
Chapter 3:
"You son of a bitch!" screamed Kendall. She tries to lunge at Ethan but Zach gets between them. "My goodness Kendall that is not ladylike of you at all. Please don't let me interrupt such a tender moment" Ethan replied. Zach turns to Ethan and says "Why don't you just get the hell out of here, Ethan. Don't you think you did enough damage for the day?" Ethan scoffs at Zach and sits down on a park bench lightly tracing his finger on the crease of his pants and says "I know that you of all people are not giving me a lecture about damaging people's lives? Where do you get off being all high and mighty? You are Pine Valley's resident bulldozer. Zach you have destroyed everyone who you supposedly cared for. Let's make a list shall we...First there was Maria (at the mention of Maria's name Zach's jaw tightens) you came to Pine Valley to destroy her marriage and forced an honorable man like Edmund to seek nothing but revenge against you and because of you he gets killed trying to rightfully destroy you. You might have not hit Edmund with the shovel that night but because of your actions you might as well have handed that shovel to Jonathan and told him where the money shot was. Next you reject me as your son but the DNA test proves I am and instead of welcoming me into the family with open arms and acknowledging me you try to take my heritage away from me. When that didn't work you convinced the woman that I loved to marry you instead of me to take Cambias away from me again because you wanted to save me from the dreaded Cambias curse. However I feel that I am in a place in my life where I can let go of my anger towards you and focus on other things to occupy my time." Ethan smirks at Kendall gets up off the bench and starts to walk away but he stops turns around and says "By the way Kendall how's Bianca and Miranda?
Zach looks directly at Ethan and says in a very calm, cool, and collected voice "If its war you want Ethan then its war you'll get. Let me give you a piece of advice son never bet against the house unless you're sure you got a winning hand. As of this morning I re-filed the necessary paperwork this morning to contest my father's will and regain power over the Cambias fortune from you and believe me I have every intention of seeing this one through. Now why don't you run along and play nice with the other kids in the playground?" Kendall looks at Zach with surprise. Zach looks at Kendall and gives her a, we'll talk about this later look.
Ethan eyes fill with anger and hate. He advances slowly towards Zach and says in low menacing tone "I have yet to begin father." Ethan walks out of the park and takes out his cell phone dials the office and says "Tell Jackson that I want him in my office in 10 minutes. I don't care where the hell he is you find him and find him now!" Ethan snaps his phone shut and utters to himself "My darling Kendall you will regret the day you chose Zach over me."
Zach takes Kendall by the arm and guides her to the car. The drive home is silent. Kendall tries to say something many times but the words never seem to come out. He protected me she thinks in her head. Zach protected me just like he said he would. Zach pulls into his parking spot and comes around the car to open the door for Kendall. They both come to their condos and say at the same time "Do you want to come in?" Kendall and Zach stare at each other and smile. Kendall looks affectionately at Zach and says "I was planning to order some take out you're more than welcome to join me if you would like." With a twinkle in his eyes he says "Well I was actually planning to make some dinner for myself. I've eaten too much take out these days." He looks inquisitively at Kendall and says "Why don't you come over and have dinner with me." Kendall looks his condo hesitantly. It's strange. Kendall never thought that she would be standing in front of Michael's old condo again trying to decide if she should go in or not. The memories of Michael flash and she can almost see Michael's standing in the doorway with a smile on his lips inviting her in and shivers. Zach realizes how indecisive Kendall is and it dawns on him that this was Michael's old condo. The same place that Michael raped Bianca and seduced Kendall. He quickly says "Or we could just go out for dinner." Kendall glances him says "Deal, I just need to go in and check my messages."
Kendall walks into her condo and Zach stays in the courtyard unsure of what to do. Kendall turns around is surprised to see Zach still standing in the courtyard and laughingly tells Zach "Its ok Zach you can come in if you want." Zach walks into her condo and sits on her couch. Kendall turns on her machine and hears Bianca's message: "Hey Kendall are you there? I guess not well I received your message and spoke to Livia she kind of filled me in. Miranda and I will be on the first flight out to Pine Valley. I'll call you when I get in. (in the background you could hear Miranda trying to speak) Oh wait hold on someone wants to say hello. Say hello to Auntie Kendall." Miranda coos and says "Hi Ountie Kendale. I wuv you!" Bianca goes back on the phone and says "Love you Kendall and see you soon."
Kendall turns off the machine and looks quietly down. Zach walks over to her and asks softly "You ok?" Kendall turns around and says "That's the first time I heard Miranda say my name." She has tears in her eyes and sniffles. "I just never thought that someone that I just met would love me unconditionally and I can certainly tell you that I never thought I would ever be someone's aunt." Zach feels this overwhelming urge reach out and hold her but decides not to and places his hands in his pockets and says "I never thought that I would be where I am now but life's kind of funny about these things." Zach never thought that someone would be able to make him feel this way…make his heart and stomach flutter at the same time...after Maria. He looks at Kendall with new eyes and says "Sometimes you never know what's standing right in front of you." Kendall turns around and gazes intensely at Zach sees his kind soul for the very first time. Zach clears his throat and says "I mean you know Miranda can see a wonderful woman with a heart of gold as big as the world and who will always be there for her and fight death himself to make sure nothing ever happens to her."
Kendall thinks quietly and says "When were you going to tell me that you re-filed your lawsuit against Ethan?" Zach replies with a twinkle in his eyes "It was on a need to know basis so now you know." Kendall balls her hand into a fist and says "Damn him for doing this!" She turns to Zach and says "I'm not giving up Zach. Ethan will regret the day he tried to break a Kane woman. He has no idea how fast I could bring the world down on him." Zach turns to her smiles and says "There's the Kendall I know the same Kendall who will fight all the demons in hell if they are messing with her or her family." Kendall smiles and says "I'll kick every one of their asses!" Zach laughs and says "I don't doubt that for a minute. So are you ready to go because all this talk of kicking ass is getting me a little hungry." Zach holds out his hand to Kendall and says "Shall we Mrs. Slater?" Kendall takes his hand and squeezes it for a second and says "Yes we shall Mr. Slater."