Disclaimer: I don't own ABC or AMC. If I did, do you think the show would be in the state that it is? Plus, it would be Zendall 24/7!
Title: The Dance That We Do
Author: Jayta
Rating: PG13
Show: All My Children
A/N: This is for Liz who is my savior, granting me the gift of the Zendall purdy moments!
A/N 2: Gidget who still likes me even though I do like Jono/Lily and Erin/Aiden!

Chapter Six: Always There

"You should eat something," Zach suggested, looking up from the files sitting on his lap. "Keep up your strength."

"What are you my nutritionist?" Kendall snapped, leaning against the windowframe.

"No," he sighed, placing the papers on the coffee table. "But you haven't eaten all day. And you need to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"It doesn't matter whether you're hungry, you need to eat."

"What is this need to boss me around?" Kendall exclaimed irritably. "I'm not hungry, so I'm not eating. When I'm hungry, I'll eat." She pushed off the frame and walked onto her side of the room. She needed to get out of here. If Zach asked one more question out of concern or duty, Kendall was going to scream.

Zach ran the back of his hand against his jaw, not knowing how to help her. He knew he should just give her space. She just needed time to think. But part of him did not want her to fall into a dark place; somewhere she would not be able to find her way out of.

Leaning against the entranceway that separated their 'living quarters', Zach watched her grab a pair of sunglasses and her purse. "Going somewhere?" he asked casually.

"Yes," she answered without a glance back. "I'm going out."

"Great," he chirped. "I'll come with."

"What?" Kendall spun around and frowned. "You're not going to with me."

"Well, how are you going to find your way around?" He knew it was a lame excuse, but he also knew it was hectic out in the city, with the celebrations and all.

"I'm a big girl, Zach," she replied dryly. "I can take care of myself."

"Oh, it's no trouble," he grinned. "I need to get my head out of work, for a while anyways."

"Okay, let me say this in simple English so you can understand," Kendall said, slightly exacerbated. "Leave...me...alone."

Zach could tell she meant business. But she had only gotten out of the hospital, and being the stubborn woman that she was, would never admit to anyone, let alone herself, that she was anything but fine. However, arguing with her would get him nowhere. "Fine," he said, backing off. "Enjoy your little adventure."

"Thank you." Kendall furrowed her brow, unsure that he truly meant it. He never backed off that easily. "So you're not going to sick your henchmen on me, reporting back my every move?" she asked suspiciously, walking towards him.

"Nope." He slipped his hands in his pockets and leaned forward on the balls of his feet and back down. "You give me more credit than I deserve," he chuckled. "I don't have henchmen here in Haiti. I mean, sure, Brazil and all the rest of South America...but not here. To expensive. They're unionized here, you know?"

Kendall couldn't help but crack a smile at that. "You're such a dork, sometimes. Did you know that?"

"Part of the charm," Zach smirked. "Don't you think?"

Yes. Kendall rolled her eyes and groaned. "Oh brother," she muttered, pushing him back lightly, as she slipped past him and headed towards the door.

"Have a good time," he called out, watching the door close behind her.

Why would he send people to follow her, when he could do a capable job on his own?

>>>

The winding streets crowded with people was almost suffocating. It was loud and hot. And it made this little jaunt almost insufferable. Midway through her little adventure, Kendall had realized that perhaps going out in the late-morning/early afternoon heat wasn't the best timing. She could feel the sweat stick to her skin, as she tried to consciously walk through the shaded areas of the city.

With wall to wall people on the streets, travelling by taxi or car wasn't even an option. Officers and soldiers could be seen lining the streets, weapons brandished. Kendall wasn't sure whether she should feel safe or scared.

Suddenly Kendall felt an elbow jab into her side as she tried her best to manuevor around the congested traffic. Spinning around, she tried to find the culprit, but she knew it was impossible not to encounter an elbow or any other kind of appendage in this insanity. She was beginning to feel suffocated. And part of her now wished she had taken Zach up on his offer. Kendall frowned. "No, you don't need him," she muttered to herself. "You don't need a man to save you."

Rolling her shoulders back, jaw set, Kendall scanned the streets, for a little coffee shop or restaurant where she could possibly stop for a minute, to catch her breath. Kitty corner from her, she spotted what looked to be a coffee shop. Finally, something goes my way. Without the slightest amount of planning, Kendall had gone out without knowing where she was going or even where to start. It wasn't your typical tourist-friendly city, where you could walk a few blocks and stumble upon a few interesting monuments or a rainforest. As well, she had opted for a taxi, and the driver ended up dropping her off in the middle of this craziness. She had tried to make the best of it, but her whole day was beginning to like a write-off.

Pushing her way through the crowd, she felt herself jostled back and forth, as most of the native people seemed unaware of her presence. She was just another person in their pathway. As she was about to lunge forward, she felt a tug at her arm, and then her purse. With her right hand, Kendall reached to secure it, but it was too late. Her leather Gucci bag slipped from under her arm and as she tried to turn around to see who was the thief, she was pushed off balance and suddenly felt herself falling backwards. Her arms flailed as she tried to find something to steady herself, but there was nothing.

Her heart was racing, as she felt helpless to do anything. The sea of faces seemed unaffected by her situation, and Kendall realized that no one was going to stop for her, no one was going to make way for her. Suddenly she felt overwhelmed with the image of being trampled on by the steady stream of moving people. Oh God, help me.

Kendall felt herself hit the cement street, her arms entangled in legs and feet, unable to brace her body for the impact. What little space she had reserved for herself with her body mass, dissolved as the sea of people consumed her, her world suddenly enveloped in darkness. "Somebody!" she cried, finding herself beginning to hyperventilate. "People, stop!" A mash of knees and feet began to nip at her hands and legs. She tried to find some ground to push herself up, but there was nothing but moving feet in the pursuit of a nameless destination. No one could see her. "Somebody stop! Please! Help!"

Her mind was racing as she tried to protect herself from the charge of sharp knees and careless feet, that were jabbing her in the side, stepping on her as if she were nothing. Oh God, please. Help me. Somebody help me. Wrapping her arms around her head, she tried to curl up in a tight ball, to protect herself from the throng of people that did not cease to surge forward.

Stop. Somebody just make it stop.

>>>

All she could remember was the feel of two strong hands grasp her shoulders and pull her up towards the light. She did not open her eyes, afraid that this was all a dream. Her head rested against the stranger's chest, as she felt their arm wrapped around her protectively as they guided her out of the crowd and into the safe protection of a car.

"Are you all right?" Zach asked pensively. She was quiet and her arms covering her face. "Kendall, are you okay?"

Her heart still raced. She could hear still hear the loud voices and shoes hitting the pavement.

"Kendall," he said softly, gently grasping her wrists and pulling them slowly away from her frightened face. "You're safe now. You're safe."

"Oh god, Zach!" Kendall cried softly, flinging herself into his arms. "I thought I was going to die out there. They wouldn't stop. They just wouldn't stop. I couldn't breathe and I could get up. It was like I was drowning."

"Shhh," he said soothingly, enfolding her in his arms gently, not wanting to hurt her. "You're okay now."

He was amused as Kendall began her journey seemingly lost. The woman had been so stubborn, she refused to even ask for help from strangers on the street. He thought the day would be a quiet trip, with her getting lost, and perhaps the chance of stepping in once she was sufficiently lost, teasing her about the whole situation. But the crowds got thicker and the distance between them wider. He still had an eye on her, as he was a little more than a head taller than most of the Haitians, as was Kendall. However, he tensed when she seemed to lose her balance. Her expression turned from angry to fearful. When he tried to reach her, the crowd in front of him resisted and pushed him back. And his heart began to pound against his chest as he watched her face disappear under the mesh of colored shirts and morose faces.

It took what seemed like forever to reach the spot he last saw her. There was no sign of her when he got there, but diving below into the darkness of the mass of bodies, he caught a glimpse of her body, curled up in a fetal position. With all his strength, he managed to create enough space between Kendall and the crowd, to pick her up into his arms.

He never should have let her go so far out of reach. It was a stupid mistake. And it would never happen again.

Her body trembled against his. His feeble attempt to comfort her was all that he had to offer. Comforting her during his mistakes seemed like his lot in this lifetime. And this was due to my mistake again.

>>>

He had been silent throughout the remainder of the ride home. Kendall had been grateful because she had definitely not been in the mood for his attempts to cheer her up. But now, as the silence seemed to loom between them, she wondered what was the matter. Once they arrived back at the hotel room, he had buried his head in paperwork. It was as if he could not bring himself to look at her.

Kendall hated this. But this is what she had asked for, hadn't it been? She had asked him to leave her alone. But he never listens to what I say. That is what saved her that afternoon.

He was always there when she needed her.

"Zach?" She awkwardly entered the living room, where he was busily jotting notes in his files and organizing his papers.

"Hm?" He did not look up at her.

"Zach," she said more firmly this time. This caused him to look up at her.

"Yes?"

"Can we talk?"

"Sure," he replied, turning back to his work. "Go ahead. I'll listen while finishing this paperwork."

Finish his paperwork? That's how high I rank?

"No, that's okay," she said stiffly, unable to hide her annoyance. "You finish your paperwork."

"What?" Zach frowned, looking up from his work. "I can listen, really. What's the problem?"

"Nothing." She refused to talk to him like this. He obviously wasn't too interested in what had happened to her that afternoon. It was some kind of fantasy that it had been fate that he had been there to save her.

"Obviously it's something," he said knowingly. "So talk. What is it?"

"No," she said irritably. "Not when you're like this."

"Like what?" He seemed confused, shaking his head as he looked at her curiously.

"You're just there," she gestured towards him with her hands, "like a lump. I can't talk to a lump."

"Okay, you're losing me again," he said, clasping his hands together. "You wanted to talk to me about something. I told you I was listening..."

"But you weren't listening!" she exclaimed angrily, throwing her hands up in the air. "Just...Just never mind!" She stalked out of the room and out onto the veranda outside of the bedroom.

Taking a deep breath of the ocean air, she tried to calm herself. Zach always had this way of exasperating her with the simplist things he did. This...this is the reason I should be divorcing him. It would never work. He would drive me insane!

"What's up?" he said huskily. He was standing right behind her.

"It was nothing," she said dismissively, stiffening at the feel of his presence. "It was stupid. I shouldn't have bothered."

"What," he leaned in, his lips grazing her ear, "is it?"

Kendall closed her eyes, imagining what it would have been like to have him wrap his arms around her. Because he was so near, she allowed herself to breath in the mixture of his cologne mixed with the ocean air. When had he begun to have this affect on her? When?

"Kendall?"

Snapping out of her reverie, she came to her senses and slipped past him, turning around to face him. "I said nothing," she stated firmly. "So give it a rest."

"You're the one who wanted to talk," he pointed out. "Not me. So why the sudden change of mind?"

"Because...Because you're you!" she huffed, unable to think of a logical reason at the moment.

"O-kay," he replied, raising a curious brow.

Part of her wanted to wipe that smirk of his face. He was always so cool. So calm. It made her want to throw something at him! "Oh stop being so condescending."

"Condescending?"

"Yes! Condescending!" she exclaimed, unable to control this sudden rage that was rising up within her. "You're always so condescending. You always act like you have everything under control. You don't have feelings and you don't get flustered. You stand there, looking at me like you know me so well!"

"I'm...uh, sorry?"

Except that he didn't seem so.

"Don't say that to placate me," she barked, throwing her hands up in the air. "You say things that make me so angry sometimes. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Okay," he said, shaking his head, completely confused. "I was leaving you alone. And then you were upset that I was. And now you're upset that I'm not?" He chuckled. "Could you just fill me in on what's going on in that beautiful, but merry-go-round head of yours?"

"Okay, now you're calling me a ditz?" She knew she sounded irrational, but she couldn't help it. The sudden rush of emotions that filled her seemed to come out of nowhere. And she needed to vent.

"Okay, this is a no-win situation you've put me in, isn't it?"

She refused to reply, folding her arms across her chest.

"Well, until you calm down, I'm just going to go back to my side of the room, all right?" he offered, moving towards the door. "And it's not because I think you're a ditz or am trying to be exasperating. I just don't feel like being yelled at right now."

Her lips parted to respond, but then she decided against it. Instead, she watched as he disappeared into the other room. What the hell is wrong with me? She screamed silently, the rage inside of her still burning.

>>>

The rest of the night had been uneventful. Kendall had opted not to come and talk to him again. Which was fine with him at this point. He was still trying to figure out what he wanted. Part of him wanted to figure out a way to convince her to call of this whole divorce for good, but then there was a part of him telling him to run as fast as he could.

As he lay on the couch in the darkness, he could not stop the voice in his head listing all of the ways he had managed to hurt everyone he cared out. His type of love was the kind that was best left unrevealed. Already he had manged to hurt Kendall far more than he imagined possible. His kind of love had watched her suffer the loss of a child, as well, almost watch her get trampled to death.

What could she possibly want with that kind of love? What could he possibly offer her?

Unable to sleep, Zach got up to get a drink of water when he thought he heard a noise coming from Kendall's bedroom. Furrowing his brow, he stopped midstride to confirm his suspicions, wondering if it was his imagination. He heard the rustling of sheets. Quietly he moved towards the bedroom, listening earnestly for anything unusual.

Her voice. Or to be more specific, an almost inaudible cry. Leaning against the doorframe, he heard soft sniffling and whimpering. The glow of the moonlight filtered into the room, lighting upon her lithe frame. She was curled up on the bed, facing away from him.

Kendall had been so angry that night. He had been caught up in his own thoughts and how he could help her. Instead of paying attention to what was going on inside of her. She was good. The woman knew how to wear a mask. Although he knew she was suffering from the loss of the child, he should have known that day's events would have compounded it.

And now the impact of the loss and the trauma from that day was hitting her. Her cries were soft and muffled, as if even now, she was trying to hide her grief and pain.

Without a second thought, Zach approached the bed, lifting the veil that shadowed her. He stood there a moment, wondering if she would protest, but she didn't move. It was as if she didn't even know he was there - too deep in her sorrow and angst. Slipping onto the bed, he drew near, lying on his side. Hesitantly, he reached out and caressed her soft brown hair, brushing it out of her eyes. Her tears shimmered under the moonlight, as he turned her towards him - their eyes locking for a moment.

Without a word, Kendall buried her head in his chest, as his arms embraced her. He knew they would soon part. There was too much pain that he caused, but for that night, he would be her comfort. For that night, he could hold her trembling body and finally offer her something she needed.