Devil-may-care101 - Hey! I'm glad you're enjoying my epic baby! I want Mac to believe her too, but it doesn't feel right, just yet. My stress levels aren't set to go down workwise, and they certainly aren't about to get to get any better whilst I adopt the "ostrich" approach to things! But thank you!

Trizzy - How did your overnighter go? I would very much like to see Marty reappear. And I can't even remember why Chad left - it would be fun if he could come back and meet Adam!

Laplandgurl - Now why do I get the feeling you would like to be handcuffed to by Mac. Well, although the housemares are annoying, I think you win that - how on earth did you stay sane? I certainly would have lost it, and I can't blame you for deciding to never have them again!!

sparkyCSI - Ah, because Mac is a marine, he's always prepared... and as such, carries a spare set!! (:D)

Evaflack001 - Marty got left to be domesticated! I would be grumpy too (although, I don't sleep much anymore and I'm always grumpy because of that, so that makes no difference...!) RL can be a pain, but at least it's not boring - I can finally say that much, and I never thought I would!

RK9 - Woohoo, coooookie! And I bet Fae is now 10 months, right? I was only teasing you - but I am very glad you're still around!

Alana Xavier01 - lol, I think with my current temper levels, I would have kicked some ass too! Yeah, they're a pain!

demolished-soul - she's not going to be relieving the day again, because, if nothing else, I would probably confuse myself too much! And I threatened to move out myself - they cleaned up. Impressive!

meadow567 - thank you. And how's that fic going??

Let's see, there aren't any spoliers... it's a bit of a short, light chapter, to be honest! But I still have massive thanks to my brilliant beta, sparky!

What The Eyes Can't See

Chapter 193: And when we're together there's nothing that we can't do

'You never did explain how you knew about the wedding,' Lindsay asked Taylor as they rode the subway.

'Or how you knew about the baby,' Stella added.

'Trust me guys, you really don't want to know,' Taylor told them. 'I don't really know,' she muttered to her reflection. After "that" day, she had demanded both Maddy and Aiden's presence and insisted they tell her exactly what had happened. Only they didn't seem to know themselves. They had even brought Eirik in for a consultation and he couldn't give her an answer either. Putting it down to bad sushi, not enough sleep, or a combination of both, Taylor had just been thankful that Mac hadn't killed anyone. As it was, he was still caught up in the political scandal that had followed once the papers had gotten a hold of the story. 'Have you thought about colors?' she asked.

Lindsay nodded. 'Green and yellow.'

'And you're sure you want to go to Montana for this?' Taylor asked her, a slight edginess to her voice.

Lindsay smiled. 'Yeah. I want to do it properly this time – have all my friends and family there.'

'Cheer up, Tay,' Stella smiled at her. 'There will be a lot of us on a plane to keep you grounded.'

'Can we just go for the grounded route?'

Lindsay laughed. 'It's only a few hours.'

'I've done it before,' Taylor reminded her. 'And it was a little longer than a few hours.'

'You could always drive.'

'Drive what?' Taylor asked. 'I don't have a car.'

'How does a rental sound?' Stella pointed out as they reached their stop.

'Expensive,' Taylor sighed. 'And long. I know I'm complaining, but I wouldn't miss this for the world,' she told Lindsay.

'I know,' Lindsay told her, patting her shoulder. 'Come on. You have to see these dresses. I spotted them ages ago.'

'Just how long have you been looking at wedding dresses for?' Taylor asked her curiously.

Lindsay shook her head. 'I was window shopping and found this place. It had the prettiest dress in the window.' She stopped and pointed up at a window.

Stella and Taylor both looked up at the window and gasped. It was a sophisticated and modern looking dress in white. It came down to the claves on the mannequin and had embroidered halter neck straps. There was a rhinestone broach accenting the ruche bust detail and the empire waistline.

'That's really pretty,' Taylor told her.

'And totally you,' Stella agreed.

Lindsay beamed. 'And now I need to try it on. And show you the bridesmaid dresses.'

'You've found them too?' Taylor asked, shooting a slightly worried glance at Stella as she followed Lindsay into the store. Taylor was about to follow when she frowned. The hairs on the back of her neck were prickling.

'Are you alright?' Stella asked her, sticking her head back out of the door.

Taylor looked around before nodding. 'Yeah,' she muttered, following Stella into the store.

'Welcome ladies,' the store attendant greeted them. 'And how can I help you today?'

'It's alright, Rose,' another attendant hurried over. 'Welcome back, Lindsay. Are these your two bridesmaids?'

Lindsay shook her head. 'Taylor's one of them.'

'I just came for the show,' Stella beamed.

'My sister is the other, but she's back in Montana.'

'Ah,' the store clerk smiled. 'That's who you're having the dress design sent to?'

Lindsay nodded. 'She's not a good flyer, Michaela.'

'Well, I suppose you will want to see your dress?' Michaela asked Taylor.

Taylor forced a smile and nodded. The woman disappeared into the back and reappeared with a monstrosity that would have been right at home in 27 Dresses. It was long, ruffled, striped, and covered in fabric flowers. 'That's um… nice?' Taylor squeaked.

Lindsay nodded. 'And Michaela tells me that you can have it shortened so that you can wear it again.'

Taylor's forced the grimace on her face into a smile. Just. 'Yeah,' she agreed.

Lindsay burst out laughing. 'Your face is a picture. Do you really think I'd have picked something like that?' she asked as both Stella and Michaela joined in the laughing.

'I thought you were going to make her try it on?' Michaela asked.

Taylor shot Lindsay a glare. 'This was planned?'

'Of course,' Lindsay laughed.

'A lady came in and had this especially made, but when the wedding was called off, she handed it back and said we could try to sell it,' Michaela explained.

'Clearly it's not going anywhere,' Taylor muttered dryly.

'I'll go get the real one,' Michaela smiled, heading back into the back. She re-emerged with the real one. This one was long – longer than Lindsay's wedding dress. It had spaghetti straps which criss-crossed over the back, and like Lindsay's, it had a ruche bust. It was also green.

'I like that one,' Taylor told her, fingering the material.

'Good,' Michaela told her. 'Let's get you both measured up then.

--

It took a while longer than expected, but as Michaela was supplying them with wine (and orange juice for Stella) it wasn't so bad. After telling Lindsay she would call her when the dresses were ready for their first fittings, the three women left.

'I'm going to bail on you guys,' Lindsay announced. 'I'm headed to Danny's now, and it makes no sense to head back the way I came only to come back this way.'

'Fair enough,' Taylor shrugged as Lindsay disappeared into the crowds. She watched Lindsay go and then frowned. The feeling of being watched was back.

'Taylor, you alright?' Stella asked her.

Taylor looked at Stella. 'Yeah, but I have the strangest feeling. Like someone is following me.'

'You have that too?'

Taylor's expression turned to one of surprise. 'Yeah. Why? Do you feel like you're being followed?'

Stella nodded. 'Felt like it for a while now.'

Taylor frowned. 'I have it on and off, but it turns out a ghost isn't far behind. It just feels different today.'

Stella shrugged. 'Well I guess it's me that's being followed.'

'Without sounding accusatory, it's not Keanu, is it? You know, like he's trying to get back with you, but doesn't have the courage to do so?'

'I don't think so,' Stella told her, shaking her head. 'It's not his style anyway.'

'Maybe you should tell Mac,' Taylor suggested.

'I wasn't going to,' Stella told her. 'I was convinced it was all in my head. But now you can feel it too, I think I might. I'll give him a call and see if he's free.' She pulled out her phone and quickly spoke to Mac. 'He's going to meet me at one of the bars near mine as soon as he gets off work.'

'You want some company?' Taylor offered.

Stella flashed her a grateful smile. 'Sure.'

--

Taylor looked around. The air smelt damp and of old fish, and it was cold in the warehouse. It was quiet too. The only noise she could hear was her own breathing and that sounded deafening. She glanced back behind her; certain she was being followed, and tripped on the metal rung of the suspended walkway she was creeping along. The piece of metal she kicked went flying over the edge, but instead of landing with a crash, it landed with a splash.

Taylor looked down, clutching tightly onto the rusting railing, at the black abyss below. She wasn't entirely sure where she was, but it wasn't good. And neither was being so high up. She took a deep breath and carried on in the direction she was heading, still feeling like she was being followed.

In front of her, the walkway widened as it reached a door. To the left, where the walkway was the widest, were a couple of drums. Taylor barely had time to process the items as door burst open in front of her and Flack came dashing out of it, his gun drawn, aimed at something behind her.

'Taylor!' he yelled, his voice sounding like he was shouting in slow motion.

Taylor turned, fixed to the spot, and then it was like she herself was also moving in slow motion. Halfway down the walkway was a man – the man, she knew, she had been trying to get away from – also with a gun and it was pointing right at them. There were several loud bangs as both Flack and the other man opened fire upon each other and then Taylor was pushed out of the way behind the drums.

Taylor whirled around in time to see Aiden vanishing, and also in time to see Flack get hit twice in the chest as the gunshots stopped. Still moving in slow motion, Taylor scrambled to her feet as Flack, moving at normal speed, dropped him gun and looked down at the crimson blood which was soaking his shirt.

Just as Taylor was almost in reach, he looked up at her before stumbling back and hitting the railing behind him.

'DON!" Taylor screamed as he went careering through the railing and into the black abyss behind him.

As he disappeared from sight, the invisible glue which Taylor had been trying to battle through disappeared and she skidded to her knees staring over the side. 'Don!' She screamed again as his body hit the water below. 'DON!"

'TAYLOR!' Marty cried, shaking her shoulders.

Taylor awoke mid-scream, clutching at her sheets in an upright position, sweat streaming down her face.

'Taylor?'

With a sob, Taylor turned and launched herself at her roommate, who wrapped his arms around her and began stroking her hair.

'Same dream?' he asked her a while later.

Taylor nodded. 'Yeah.'

'Perhaps you should tell him.'

'It's just a dream, Marty.'

'It's the same dream you've been having for months.'

'It's hardly prophetic, is it? It probably means something stupid. I mean, look at what's been going off in my life recently.'

'That's not the point, Taylor,' Marty told her softly. 'He should know. And you know he should.'

'What are you doing up so early?' Taylor asked him, avoiding the statement.

'Your screams might have had something to do with that,' Marty suggested.

Taylor looked down at him. 'You're telling me that I woke you up, and before you came in to check on me, you decided to get dressed, sneakers and all?'

Marty rolled his eyes. 'I have a plane to catch. Remember?'

'Oh yeah,' Taylor mouthed at him.

'Me and Cordy were gonna come in and wake you up soon anyway.'

Taylor pulled a face. 'I promised her a morning off school so that we could see you off, didn't I?'

Marty nodded. 'I can't help it if the squirt has grown attached to me.'

Taylor rolled her eyes. 'Just remember, she's seven, Marty.'

'Nice,' Marty muttered.

It's alright - I know I suck. And I'm going to hell anyway (and that's a very long story which doesn't particuarly paint me in a good light!). It's also coming to Freshers Week again, so if I thought my 60/70 hour weeks were long, I've got triple figures to look forward to soon - but it's all good because it's fun, fun, fun (and that's a sincere comment). Anyhoos, tomorrow, uf I can find a bit of time in between sending confirmation letters to Freshers, fix the karaoke machine, create the 'what's on' board, process ticket purchases, reply to the emails, and whatever else I have to do, I shall try to post another chapter for y'all because you're brilliant and put up with me posting sporadically!!