"Give me that!" Tay laughed as he grabbed the jar of jellybeans.

"Forget it, Tay." Leigh-Ann pulled on the jar and stuck out her tongue at the boy sitting across from her. She giggled as she gave a hard tug. The jar slipped from Taylor's fingers and flew across the room. It collided with the ground and the jellybeans scattered about the floor.

"Ooops," Tay snickered. "I guess you can have it now."

"Ha ha ha." They got up and started to gather the candies from the tiled kitchen floor. "You should know better than to try and steal my rootbeers."

"I wasn't trying to steal the rootbeer ones. I don't even like those." He flashed her a big smile and flung a few beans into her face.

"Oh, you are going to pay for that!" She scooped up a mound of candy a reached her arm back for the perfect throw. "Get ready for the big one!" She let her arm swing forward and she released the jellybeans in Taylor's direction. He quickly ducked and narrowly dodged the beans. They flew past him and right into the face of Rebecca, who stood in the entrance to the kitchen in shock.

"What the...Taylor, Isaac let me in." She frowned at Leigh-Ann, then turned towards Taylor and grinned. "I need to speak with you honey."

"Honey?" Leigh-Ann muttered under her breath.

Taylor didn't seem to notice the term of endearment as he sprung up and followed Rebecca into the family room.

"Well, good to see you too, Rebecca," Leigh-Ann sarcasticly mumbled as she got up and peeked her head around the corner to watch them.

"I have some bad news Taylor." Rebecca looked up at him with the largest puppy-dog eyes she could manage.

"What?" Taylor softly said. He seemed lost somewhere in her face. Leigh-Ann rolled her eyes and moved back a bit so she wouldn't be seen.

"My family is leaving sooner than we thought. Tonight. My mom's company found this really great condo for us and they want us to move in right away so that they don't lose it. So...we booked a late flight tonight."

"But..." He couldn't think of anything to say. Taylor stared at her long, curly hair.

"I know, it's so sad. I went over to Max's and I just cried and cried. He's really upset too."

At this comment Taylor stepped back a little. Around the corner Leigh-Ann could feel her anger rise up. Why did she say that? She knows how he feels about her. She wanted to burst in and save him. So much she needed him to not care that Rebecca was leaving, but she knew that just wasn't true.

"Becca, I...can't believe you." Taylor crinkled his brow and took another step back. "Why do you do this? Why did you come over here? To hurt me?"

"What? No. What do you mean? How am I hurting you? I'm leaving. Don't you understand that?" Her eyes started to get red and tears were welling up.

"Yes. But everytime that you feel bad or need someone to poor out all your problems to, you come here. Then you turn right back around and...and go out with Max. I'm not your doormat. You can't just have me when you want me and then throw me away and expect me to be there when you come back." His voice started to get louder. He felt energized inside, like all these feelings were finally being let out.

"Taylor! I can't believe you're saying this. What is wrong with you. I'm leaving! For good. Don't you understand?!"

At this point, someone came up from behind Leigh-Ann. She felt a brush on her shoulder and jumped. She turned around to see Isaac standing there with a concerned look on his face. "What's going on," he whispered.

"Rebecca's leaving tonight and, well, she mentioned Max and Taylor just kind of lost it."

"It's a good thing we're the only ones home. No offense, but after your and Tay's fight the other day, Dad has had about enough of Tay's mood swings." They both turned back to watch the drama unfold.

"Rebecca, I'm sorry you are leaving. I know it's hard to be uprooted and taken somewhere new, but that's no excuse to do what you keep doing to me."

"Which is what, Taylor Hanson?!"

"Using me! You did it when we were together and you're even doing it now that we're not. I'm just somebody who's there when it's convenient for you. I can't be that!" He flopped down on the couch and put his head in his hands.

"Fine, then. I can't believe you're acting like this the day I'm leaving. What? Did Leigh-Ann put you up to this? I can't believe you're hanging around that girl. She is so pathetic. You know she's been lusting after you forever."

Taylor lifted his head and stared right at her. "She's more of a friend then you will ever be. I can't believe that I was stupid enough to use her to make you jealous. Just because I thought you were going out with that dork...what's his name..."

"Eric?" she said sarcastically.

He jumped up with a renewed energy. "Yeah, Eric! I almost ruined my friendship with her so I could get you back. And then you treat me like this? Thank God she forgave me."

"So you're going out with her now. Good luck!"

"So what if I am?"

Leigh-Ann jumped back at this comment and almost knocked Ike down.

"Forget it, Taylor. I'm leaving. I don't have to take this abuse, especially not from you." She turned and paraded out of the house. Taylor stood alone in the middle of the living room, still huffing.

"Hey, Ike," Leigh-Ann whispered. "Should I leave or something?"

"No. He's fine."

"Uh, he doesn't look fine." She looked at the frazzeled boy who was now grasping his head.

"Believe me, he's fine. Just go in there. He's fine." Isaac turned and headed back to his room.

Leigh-Ann waringly tip-toed into the room. He noticed her and looked up. "Hi, Leigh-Ann. Sorry."

"For what?"

"For that. What just happened. I shouldn't have done that, especially with you here."

She knew that she had every right to be mad, but she wasn't. He looked pathetic. "I'll go."

"No. Don't go," he said in a sweeter tone.

"Okay. What do you want to do?"

Taylor leaned down and lightly brushed him lips on her forehead. "Well, maybe you better go. I've got a headache."

"Oh, alright." She slowly headed for the door, but then flew around and gave Taylor the biggest hug she could manage. "Bye, Tay. Hope you feel better." She kissed him on the check and then left.

Zac layed helplessly in the orthodontic chair. He stared at the shiny metal equiptment that sat next to him on the table. He leaned forward to see if he could spot Dr. Wooderson coming in his direction. "Good, no doc," he mumbled.

He reached down to fiddle with the chair adjustors. First he raised himself up and then down and then up and then down. He started to quietly sing "Tubthumping" under his breath. He checked once more for the doctor. "You just stay away from me you mean old doctor man."

Zac sat up in the chair and grabbed one of the metal instruments to examine it. "What the heck is this for? Looks like a torture device." Just as he set it down, Dr. Wooderson strode into the room holding a thick manila file.

"Well, Zac, looks like you haven't been here since...oh...a year and a half ago. Woah. I would say it is certainly time for a check-up."

"Why do I need to come here? It's not like I have braces."

"But Zac, you will need them and it's my job to figure out when. Alright, buddy, lay back for me please."

"Why?"

"I can't examine your teeth if you don't lay back. Come on, sport." He pushed Zac back in the chair and raised it up. The doctor grabbed the same instrument that Zac had been examining.

"Hold on!" Zac shot up. "You're not going to use that on me, are you?"

"Zac, I've used this before. It's just something to help me see better into your mouth."

"But it's so...pointy."

"It won't hurt you."

"That's what you say," he muttered as he slowly layed back. He saw the instrument slowly come towards his face. Try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to open his mouth.

"Zac, you are going to have to open up."

He shook his head "no."

"Zac, do you want me to call your mother in here."

He shook his head "yes." His mother would see reason. The doctor sighed and set down the peice of equiptment. He stripped off his gloves and disappeared. Zac grabbed the tray of instruments and got up out of the chair. He opened up a low cabinet and stuffed them inside. He ran and jumped back onto the chair just as the doctor and his mother, with Jessie, Mackie, and Avery in tow, entered the room.

"Alright, Zac, why don't you explain to your mother what the problem is."

"I don't need braces." He said firmly.

"Zac, you aren't getting braces today. This is just to see how you are coming along. It might be a couple of years before you get them."

"Well, then why can't I just open my mouth and he can look inside and then we are done. That sounds pretty good, huh?"

"That's exactly what I want to do, Zac." The doctor turned towards his mother, indicating he was about to speak in "adult" talk. "He's a little scared of the instruments."

From below, Mackie reached up for the table. Dr. Wooderson saw him from the corner of his eye. "Oh, no, Mack, you'll spill the instruments...which are not there."

"Zac, where's the doctor's intstruments?" Mrs. Hanson sighed. "Where are they, young man?"

Zac got out of the chair and went over to the cabinet. He took out the tray and practically threw it back on to the table. He jumped back on the chair. "There, are you happy. You can destroy my teeth now."

"Zac," his mother warned. He leaned back and the doctor started to poke around his mouth.

"Aooaaw," he managed to get out. From the corner of his eye he could see a red-haired figure in the hallway of the office. He moved his head slightly and saw Manda standing with her mother.

"Zac, you need to face forward, sport."

He tried to strain his eyes to see her before she left. Suddenly, she turned and faced him. Her eyes widened when she saw him and she gave him a big bracey grin. He didn't know whether she was glad to see him in pain, or just wanted to show off her new metal smile. "Ow!"

"Oh, sorry about that. Must have nicked you a bit. Don't worry, the bleeding will stop in a moment."

Hearing that, Zac rolled his eyes back and blacked out.

A couple of hours later, Mrs. Hanson and the crew returned home. Avery ran in screaming while Jessie chased her with a garden worm. "Mommy! Make her stop!"

"It's the evil snake. It's a COBRA!" Jessie yelled as she wiggled the tiny worm in front of Avie's face.

"Girls, stop it." Mrs. Hanson walked in carrying bags of groceries. "And it would be nice if you two could help me carry these in."

"Oh, sure, Mom. Because we wouldn't want Zac to strain himself." Jessie gawked at Zac who moped into the house.

"Be quiet, Jessica!"

"What's wrong with Zac," Isaac interjected when he saw his obviously annoyed little brother.

"He just had a little trouble at the orthodontist."

"He fainted!" Jessie yelled enthusiastically.

"I did not!" Zac slumped down into the couch.

Isaac couldn't help but laugh at that. "You fainted?" He tried to control himself.

"Honestly, Zac, I don't understand you. You can skin your knee or break your nose and you are perfectly fine, but the moment a doctor pricks you and you bleed, you get woozy."

"Mom, I said I didn't faint okay."

"What, you fainted because a doctor pricked you?" This was too much for Isaac to handle and he burst out laughing.

Just then, Taylor entered the room. "Who fainted?"

"I didn't faint, okay!"

"You fainted?" Taylor smiled. "Gosh, I never knew someone who fainted before. What did it feel like?"

Zac resigned his attempt to redeem himself. "Like pure humiliation."

That night, Taylor layed awake in his bed. Isaac and Zac were asleep around him, but he couldn't seem join them. The TV in the family room was blaring with the late night news. He could hear his parents muffled voices. He felt anxious and he needed to walk around.

He strolled out into the hallway and slowly headed for the family room. The only light coming from the room was the scattered images on the tv set. His parents sat on the couch quietly chatting. Taylor stood at the entrance, behind his parents, and stared at the screen. It wasn't until a few moments later that he began to hear what his parents were saying.

He could make out the depressed look on his mother's face. His father was turned away from him, but he just kept shaking his head.

"Diana, we can't tell him tonight."

"Oh, no, I know. I just can't believe this is happening." Tears started streaming down his mother's cheek and his father wrapped his arms around her.

Taylor wanted so much to know what was happening and why his mom was crying, but he couldn't bring himself to interrupt them.

"I'll have to call Helen Morton in the morning to see how she is. Imagine losing so many loved ones all at once. I don't think that I could handle it, and she already lost her husband."

Taylor recognized the name. It was Rebecca's grandmother. She used to live on the other side of Rebecca's house before she moved to a retirement home when her husband died. But he still didn't understand what they were talking about. A shiver ran up his spine as he suddenly felt the cold of the room.

"Oh, gosh Walker, what about the trip? How is he going to handle this while having to do all those performances? My poor baby." Taylor couldn't stand it anymore. He strode into the room and stood in front of his parents.

"What's wrong with Rebecca?"

His mother looked up at him with the sorriest gaze. Not since his grandmother died had he seen that look. "Sweetheart, I didn't know you were still up."

"I think you better sit down, Taylor." His dad patted the space of couch between him and Mrs. Hanson. Taylor sat and desperately glared at his father. "We weren't going to tell you this until tomorrow. We only heard about it a half an hour ago." Taylor could see his father straining to get out the right words. He knew he didn't want to hear any of it, though. "There was an accident."

Taylor's heart sank. A lump started to form in his throat but he managed to swallow it down. "What's wrong with Rebecca?" he repeated in a smaller voice.

"Son, it was a car accident. They were on their way to the airport and...honey, they didn't make it." His father's voice was so calm and controlled. Taylor hated it. Mr. Hanson gazed at him with pity in his eyes. All he could see was that stare. It was almost if the words didn't matter or that they hadn't been said. He wanted the look to go away so he closed his eyes.

I can't hear them, he repeated to himself. But he could hear the muffled voice of his father and then his mother. But he couldn't make out the words. He didn't want to. He could feel his mother stroke his hair. Reflexively, he brushed her away. He opened his eyes and got up. He walked out of the family room and into his bedroom where he fell into his bed. He didn't pull the covers up and he didn't see his parents follow him in. They hovered over him for a moment, until he blacked out.

"Oh my god." Isaac sat at the kitchen table. "I can't believe this. We knew them all our lives practically and now they're gone?" He barely managed to gulp down his glass of orange juice.

Mr. Hanson stood at the counter making breakfast. "I let your mother sleep in. She needs to. This is extremely sad and stressful on her so I want you guys to be extra good, do you hear me." He gave more strength to his words than he usually did, as if he needed this as desperately as their mother did. "Mrs. Morton and your mother were very close. And Mr. Morton was a very sweet man. And Rebecca..." his voice trailed off at the mention of the young girls name. "Oh heavenly father, she was just a little girl," he whispered under his breath.

"And Taylor knows?" Isaac couldn't imagine how his brother was going to take this. Taylor was still asleep, or at least he looked like he was. Isaac swore he saw him shaking his chokers with his fingers before he left the room that morning.

"Unfortunately, he heard your mom and I talking last night."

"What did he say?"

Mr. Hanson stopped fooling with the toast. "He didn't say anything. Look, Isaac, I hope you know that we might postpone the promo tour because of this."

"But Dad, it's a Christmas tour, we can't postpone Christmas." Isaac felt selfish for saying it, but he couldn't see why Taylor couldn't tour. He imagined that performing was the one thing that would make him feel better.

"Look, you guys better get dressed for church."

Zac, who was quiet up until then, jumped out of his seat and wrapped his arms around his father as far as they could go. "They're in heaven," he said before letting go and running towards his bedroom.

Zac was surprised to find Taylor up and dressed when he reached the room. He sat on his bed tying his shoe. Zac scrunched up beside him and layed his head on his big brother's shoulder. "Your choker is on backwards," he muttered.

Taylor reached behind his neck a adjusted it. "Thanks."

"What are brothers for except to point out bad fashion."

"No, I mean for not asking me if I'm okay."

"Why?"

Taylor started to brush his hair. "Dad came in here early this morning. He must have thought I was awake, which I was, but I pretended to be asleep. He kept asking me if I was okay." His voice was a monotone and his face expressionless.

"He just loves you that's all."

"Yeah, but...I don't know." He set the brush down and pulled his hair back into a ponytail. "I'm going out."

"We have to go to church."

"No, you do. I'm going out." He grabbed his backpack and stuffed his wallet in it.

"They're gonna be really mad," Zac warned.

"No they're not. They feel sorry for me. They won't care." If he had said it any other way, Zac would've thought he was being selfish, but the way he said it had no meaning, as if he didn't even believe what he was saying. Taylor left the room and slipped out of the house without anyone else noticing.

Zac debated about whether to tell his father right away, or let Tay get a head start. He waited.

Taylor strode down the sidewalk at a fast pace. He didn't even look up when he passed Rebecca's house. Tay didn't stop until he reached Leigh-Ann's. He pounded on the door. A few moments later, Leigh-Ann's mom opened the door. She was dressed in Sunday clothes. "Oh, Taylor," she said. She sounded so condescending to him. She gave him the most pitiful look.

"I need to see Leigh-Ann, please."

"Oh, of course, come on in." She opened the door wider.

"No. I just want to see her out here please."

"Alright, I'll go get her. By the way, are you okay? We are all so devestated about the Mortons. You think that kind of thing just doesn't happen to people you know. We'll all be praying for them today in church."

Taylor wanted her to stop. "I just need to speak with Leigh-Ann please," he said once again, trying to control his anxiousness.

"Alright." She left and a few moments later Leigh-Ann poked her head out.

"Hi Tay."

When Taylor saw her he turned around and sat on one of the steps leading up to the door. She followed him. "Hi."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Nothing much, actually."

"Oh." She reached towards him to pull a piece of his hair behind his ears. He quickly recoiled from her touch. "Sorry."

"That's okay. Isn't it strange?" Taylor looked off into the distance at nothing.

"What's strange?"

"How we act. People. Isn't that strange?" He refused to look at her.

"I guess. Is this about Rebe..." she stopped before she could finish her name. It didn't seem right to say it. She looked down at her skirt and her new shoes. "These are new shoes, you know. Doesn't that seem so insignificant? That yesterday I was all excited about new shoes."

Taylor finally focused on her.

"And the day before I was so excited because my favorite video came on MTV. But, doesn't it seem like that's all so stupid? It has to be, right?" She looked into his eyes for some response, but he didn't give any. "My cousin died. He was 23. It was cancer though. I cried for weeks 'cause I really loved him. Remember that?"

"Yeah. I gotta go." Taylor got up and without turning to say goodbye he walked off and back towards home. Leigh-Ann sat on her porch and watched him go. He walked for a moment and then stopped. He reached down for something on the ground. When she could see his hand again, it was holding the most beautiful butterfly she had ever seen. It sat atop his hand for what seemed an enternity until it fluttered away. Leigh-Ann smiled, but Taylor didn't even look up, he just continued walking until finally he was out of sight.