The smoking bar was loud from bombing with classic rock. It was the last of its kind, an old Irish bar with butts on the ground, two-dollar shots and a bartender who knows your name. The pool tables were almost too old but no one cared. This college bar was a secret only a few knew, even the resident frat boys never told their friends for fear it would ruin it.

He was sitting alone at the end of bar, with his mother's favorite drink; a gin and tonic swirling in the glass in his hand. The only thoughts in his mind were of a tattoo.
He never saw her come into the bar, never saw her order a drink, and never felt her sit down next to him.

"Ryan, your roommate said I could find you here," she said, touching his arm.

He took his last slip of his drink, "You didn't have to come find me."

Ryan raised his hand to the bartender, "Wes, another one and make it a double."

"You know drinking isn't going to make the tattoo go away, or her"

He looked at her stunned, "How did you know?"

"Yee of little faith, I am all knowing for I am Summer Roberts," she said making him crack a smile.

"And when Taylor woke up, she came inside, I just put the pieces together."

"I need you to explain, I need to know."

"Ryan, I can't even begin to explain Taylor to anyone and especially you. Between you and I, I think we are the only ones who could even put a dent into that topic."

He looked over to her and took another drink, "Summer Roberts, I will have Wes kick your ass out of here if you don't tell me about the tattoo."

Summer downed her rum and coke then turned her body into his.

"I will tell you about the tattoo but the rest you to the source for, deal?"

He took a deep breath before answering, "Tell me about the tattoo."

The bartender walked towards the two with a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses. He placed them in front of the twosome.

"You want the truth Ryan?" she said taking the bottle in her tiny hand.

"Summer, quit the bull and tell me," he said watching her pour two shots.

"Atwood, we are gonna take these shots, cause your gonna need it."

Christmas was coming to the Bay Area. Thanksgiving had come and gone to everyone in their apartment complex, everyone that is but Taylor and Summer. Since Taylor was holding her ground about not going home, Summer had stayed to be with her friend.

She watched her friend open another bottle of wine before she said another word, "Seriously, Tay, this isn't a good idea. Just think back, in ten years are you gonna wanna see some stupid anime thingy or some slutty tramp stamp that will get all messed up when you have kids."

"You know Summer, it's like you don't even know me, so now you have to wait till its over to even see what I am planning on getting," she said, taking another drink from her wine glass.

"Oh I can't wait," she said under her breath.

Summer watched her finish her third glass of wine then pick up her hang bag and keys.

She ran in front of the door stopping her, "Oh no, you're not driving, if you want to do this I am coming."

Taking the car keys from Taylor's hand she grabbed her backpack and cell phone. A call to Seth wouldn't stop her but maybe talking to Ryan could, but Taylor would never speak to Ryan so what's the point, she thought.

The drive was a short distance; to the tattoo parlor right off campus.

The ugly blinking sign was missing almost too many letters from the word Tattoo that you wouldn't have never known what you walking in to. The walls of the parlor were filled with hundreds of sketches in hundreds of different styles. The smell of rubbing alcohol was almost too much for Summer to handle, until she heard the tattoo gun start up.

"Taylor you sure about this?"

"Yes, I have only one regret in life and this won't even hold a close second."

Summer followed her friend, they walked into the tattoo room; Taylor sat down in the swivel chair and spoke to the very large and tattooed man while Summer stood next to the door waiting. When the tattoo gun started Summer walked outside to call Seth.

It took less then twenty minutes before Taylor was walking out of the room with tears in her eyes and her left wrist was wrapped in gaze. Summer followed close behind.

"Tay, slow down. I have short legs."

"It's done. I want to go home. Please just leave it alone till morning."

Summer stopped walking, "No Taylor, you don't get to do this to me, too. You don't get to walk away, that's not how we work. I am your best friend and you just inked your skin for the rest of your life. Now show me what you got."

Taylor stopped as Summer had asked, she turned to her, "You just called me your best friend, Sum." That was the first time you ever said it out loud, I mean I have thought it for awhile, but you have never said it."

"You're changing the subject, and yes you're my best friend. Now show me the damn tattoo before I go all rage black out on your ass," she said laughing, walking to her friend's side.

Slowly Taylor started to remove the gaze, "Sum, I need you to know something before I show this to you. I need you to know why I walked, well ran away from Ryan. And instead of beating around the bush I am just gonna say it," tears running down her face again.

"Taylor," she said hugging her friend.

"A man at a party you and I were at in San Diego over four months ago raped me. I was so ashamed and broken, I ran away. I never told anyone. How could I look Ryan in the face and tell him, some other man took me away from him because after that moment I was no longer that Taylor. Haven't you ever wondered why I stopped wearing revealing clothes?"

Summer knew she wasn't looking for an answer, just someone to listen to her.

"I was in love with him, Sum, and I still am. If I could change that night, and the weeks that followed I would, it was all my fault."

Her voice was now unrecognizable, just the sobs of a broken woman. Summer held onto her friend till they slowly slid onto the cold sidewalk together. It broke her heart to watch her best friend breakdown, but she also knew the healing could finally begin.

Taylor wiped her tears away with the gaze left over from her arm, as she lifted her wrist to Summer's face.

The small heart with the word Taken was her new tattoo.

"My heart is spoken for."

Author Note: So I was sick all week so I hope you enjoyed this. A HUGE thank you for all the people who left me reviews.

Thanks again for Lex my wonderful Beta, your rock.