Chapter 17, part 1: Hang Your Halo, Pt. 1

Let's speak in whispers and in codes.
And cross our fingers no one knows

"You're ready already?" Manny asks, shocked that Emma was dressed already.

"Zack said to wear something that I wouldn't mind getting dirty in." Emma tells her, leaning against the counter in the kitchen.

"Oo, kinky," Manny flashes Emma a grin as she leans over the couch.

"Not like that Manny!"

"Well then where's he taking you?" She asks, resting her chin in her hand.

"He wouldn't tell me." Emma shrugs. She stopped trying to figure out what Zack was up to. There's a knock on the door.

"He's here!" Manny squeals, jumping off the couch and answering the door. "Hey cutie,"

"Manny!" Emma laughs, "Remember, no one is to know about this." She whispers on her way out the door.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Manny calls out as Zack and Emma walk down the hallway. Emma laughs to herself

"Sorry about her." Emma says to Zack, smiling at him.

"She must be fun to live with." Zack states, his own smile on his face.

"That she is," Emma pauses, "So where are we going tonight?"

"You'll see," Zack and Emma get into his car. The drive for a while, all the while, Zack refuses to tell Emma where he's taking her. This is making Emma all the more excited.

"The woods?" Emma asks confused.

"Just walk with me." Zack takes her hand after they get out of the car. They walk down a trail for about fifteen minutes. As they get closer, they walk up some big rocks, and end on a big cliff that overlooks a river. You can see the outer city, but it's quiet and peaceful.

"It's beautiful." Emma tells him, almost whispering.

"I know you're an environmentalist, so I thought this was a good place for our first date." Zack declares, leading her to a blanket he laid out over the concrete. The two sit down, "Okay, I didn't go all out, no cheesy dinner and candles, but I did bring us a snack." Zack pulls out a big bag of chocolate pretzels.

"These are my favorite." Emma announces, wondering if this could get any more perfect.

"I remember saying you did, nice touch huh?" Zack gives Emma a little smirk as he takes out a pretzel for Emma.

"You remember?" Emma queries, wondering when it was that she said she loved chocolate pretzels.

"Of course, I remember everything you say... okay, most things."

"Wow," Emma says to herself. "I'm really enjoying this, thanks Zack." Emma says to him.

"Cool, I'm glad." Zack smiles at her and lays his hand on hers. Emma leaned into him and looked out into the water. The breeze hitting Emma's face, and the touch of Zack's warm hand on hers created chills. Noticing her shiver, Zack took his hand off hers to put his arm around her shoulder. Minutes went by that turned into an hour, and the cold air began to get colder. "Let's go before it gets any colder." Zack stands up, helping Emma up, and grabbing the blanket. The two walked back with the blanket around them. After buckling her seatbelt, Emma turned to Zack.

"This has been the best date I have ever been on." Emma looks at Zack, a warm smile on her face.

"I'm glad." Zack looks at her briefly before putting his eyes back on the road. Twenty minutes later they arrived back at Emma's apartment. Walking Emma back to her door, Zack gave Emma a gentle lingering kiss. "Can we do this again?"

"Definitely." Emma gives Zack a little smirk and headed into her apartment. Zack smiled as the door closed, and walked back down to his car a happy man. Manny, who was sitting on the living room couch, looked at the smiling Emma walking into their apartment.

"Give me full details Missy!" Manny announces.

"Manny, it was the best date I have ever, ever been on. He was amazing, and so sweet, and he remembered that I love chocolate pretzels." Emma holds the bag out for Manny to see.

"Oo, I want one." Manny takes the bag, and Emma joins her on the couch. "Zack seems like Prince Charming."

"He is," Emma states, "he is..."

Chapter 17, part 2: Hang Your Halo, Pt. 2

Where all our secrets are kept between our ears
Where we will keep them locked away.

"Zack, I haven't heard from you all week." Emma says into the phone, disappointment in her voice.

"I know, but we had a couple practices, and we're trying to get our demo done." Zack explains, disappointed as well.

"Well, when can I see you?" Emma asks, hoping he can get away for a couple hours.

"Shit, someone's coming, I'll call you back." Zack took the phone away from his ear, but put it back, "Promise."

"Bye." Emma hung up, even more disappointed. I understand that this needs to be kept a secret, I don't really like it, but I understand it. I'm also happy that Zack was okay with me telling Manny and Sean. I just wish we could see each other. Sighing, Emma pulled out her laptop, figuring if she couldn't see Zack, then she might as well get her work finished. The hour went by, Emma not once taking her eyes off her work. Trying hard to stay focused on it, all she thought about was how she wishes she could be more like Manny, or how she wished Sean didn't have to work two jobs. She missed hanging out, she missed her friends, she missed being able to have a real boyfriend. The ringing of her phone brought her out of her thoughts. "Hello?" She asks exasperated.

"Em, you okay?" Zack questions, watching to make sure no ones around him.

"Oh, hi Zack, yeah I'm fine, what's up?" Emma asks, changing her tone a bit.

"I canceled practice for tonight."

"Oh, why'd you do that?" Emma queries, knowing that they were trying to get signed.

"I made plans for us, so I hope you're not busy." Zack tells her, crossing his fingers.

"Um yeah, I'm just catching up on some work." Emma says, saving her writing.

"You sure you want to hang out, can you get away from work?"

"Of course, I miss you." Emma tells him, softening her voice.

"Good, so put a bathing suit on under your clothes, and I'll pick you up in about fifteen minutes." Zack says, beginning to get excited about seeing his girlfriend.

"A bathing suit... Zack, it's still too cold for a bathing suit." Emma's voice is suspicious.

"Just please put one on, fifteen minutes." Zack hung up, smiling to himself. He hoped Emma was going to like what he had planned. Emma hung up the phone and looked at it curiously. She walked to her room, searching through clothes for a bathing suit. As she found two, she laid them out on the bed, staring at the two, pondering which one Zack would like better. Deciding on her black bikini that had a pink outline cut out star on the left corner of the bottoms, and the right corner of the right side of the top. On top of her bathing suit, Emma pulled on an old, comfortable pair of low-rise jeans, and a pretty tight, long sleeve top. Zack knocked on her door, causing Emma to quickly put her sneakers on.

"One sec." Emma calls out to him. She opened the front door, "Okay, so do I need anything else?"

"Nope." Zack shakes his head.

"But I assume we are going to be near water, so should I bring a towel or-"

"Nope, come on." Zack gives her a little smirk, taking her hand in his. Emma pulled her door closed, locking it quickly, and held Zack's hand as they walked to his car. A restless Emma sat in the front seat of almost a forty minute drive. Zack peered over at his girlfriend, noting her anxious face as she looked out the window. He laid his hand on her leg, softly stroking the denim fabric with his thumb. "Relax Em, we're almost there."

"But what are we doing?" She pleaded, giving him her big, wondering eyes.

"No, don't give me that look. I promise we are almost there, don't make me spoil it." Zack tries not to give into Emma. "Now, I'm going to tell you that this house," Zack pulls up into the driveway, "is my parents." Zack looks at her shocked face. "They are away on vacation, and told me that I could come home whenever I wanted." Zack gets out of the car, with Emma following suit. Holding the car door open for her, Emma gets out, and Zack closes it. "Follow me." Zack opens the front door to the house he grew up in.

"It feels so homey." Emma says, looking at all the cute trinkets and family photos. Zack gives her a tour of the downstairs as they pass the rooms. They stop at an enclosed Jacuzzi.

"This is it." Zack tells her, hoping she'll like it.

"A Jacuzzi? I've been in one like once in my entire life." Emma stares at it, washing the water move from the jets.

"Yeah, so you can get changed right in here, there's a towel hanging up for you, and come out when you're ready." Zack gives her a warm smile, allowing her to enter the changing room. He took off his own clothes, putting them on the shelf. Sitting down in the Jacuzzi, he stared down at the water, hoping Emma was really liking the whole alone in a Jacuzzi thing. Hearing the door open caused Zack to look up. Emma was holding the towel around her body, walking carefully towards the Jacuzzi. Slowly, Emma let her towel slide down to the floor. Zack watched in amazement, Emma was absolutely stunning. Nervously, Emma got into the Jacuzzi, increasingly becoming covered by the water.

"Hi." Emma says timidly.

"Hey." Zack moves closer to her, "So you like it?"

"Yeah, it's sweet." Emma meets his eyes.

"Cool, I'm happy you like it." Zack gives her a soft kiss. "You look incredible in your bathing suit."

"Yeah?" Emma smiles warmly.

"Yeah." Zack agrees, kissing her softly again. Emma kisses back, intensifying the passion. Slightly turning her body towards his, Zack runs his fingertips against her cheek. Swiftly, Emma moves onto Zack's lap, her legs on either side of him, never breaking the kiss. Zack's hands move to her waist, lightly holding her as their kiss continues to deepen. His hands slide up her back, slowly and roughly. He slowly pulled away, breathing in shallow breaths. "Emma," He took another breath as Emma kissed his cheek and began to go towards his neck. "I think we should... wait."

"Wait?" Emma repeats, lifting her head up from his neck.

"Yeah... I mean I really like you... and I don't want to rush... into the physical... until we spend some time... together."

"Really?" Emma smiles at him softly, "You want to... wait... you want to be with me?"

"Of course," Zack says. "I know how Tristan treated you... and I won't do that to you." Leaning down, Emma let a delicate kiss linger on his lips. He really is perfect.