(I decided Kenneth is an important character to this story so, now he has an actor to properly portray him. Literally nobody fits my mental image of Kenneth more than Matthew Davis🔝 so he's here now.)

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Usually, Teddy woke up to the sound of his alarm going off on a normal weekday but, today was different. This Friday morning, Teddy woke up to the sound of his phone ringing with an incoming call. Teddy was slow to wake up at first, stretching out his arms and legs and rolling over in bed before he actually opened his eyes. The sun wasn't up, the birds weren't chirping, and his room was freezing cold. He easily delayed answering his phone until the ringing stopped but, it very quickly began to ring again.

Teddy groaned and grabbed his phone, squinting his eyes when his phone came to life and flashed a bright light in his eyes. Zoe was calling him. Teddy wanted to be surprised but he wasn't. Zoe had tried to call and message him a million times since she left for Los Angelos and he refused to respond. He still hadn't figured out what was best for him. Zoe occasionally had the power to put a smile on his face but, in the same vein, she also had the power to make his life a living hell.

Without hesitation, Teddy pressed the red button to end the call. He didn't feel like chatting this early in the morning. He only had a little less than an hour to get some more sleep before he had to get up for the last day of this semester and the last leg of finals. Teddy was going to go back to sleep, too, before he realized all the missed calls and messages he actually had. They were all from Zoe but, something strange piqued his interest.

It wasn't Zoe at all. It was Carmen.

Teddy sat up, his eyes still squinted and tired expression contorted as he opened his phone to check the messages. He had six missed calls from Zoe and eight text messages from her, or rather, Carmen. Carmen was using Zoe's phone to send him messages. The first message was announcing it was her, his older sister, and stated that she was coming to Ohio. The second said she was boarding a plane and would see him soon. The rest were all Carmen informing Teddy that she was at Zoe's with the babies and would call him until he woke up.

There was no question about getting out of bed now. Teddy threw his blankets off in the blink of an eye and scrambled for some clothes. When he had a pair of sweatpants, sweatshirt, and a hat, he tried to call Zoe's phone as he rushed to leave the house as quickly and quietly as he could. Just as Teddy locked the door behind him, standing in the freezing cold weather in the earliest of mornings, Carmen picked up the phone.

"Finally!" Carmen dramatically groaned on the other end of the phone. "I was about to fall asleep."

"Where are you?" Teddy asked with a rougher voice than even he expected. He shoved his hands and keys in his sweatshirt pocket as he hopped through the snow filling the alleyway to get to the street.

"At Zoe's house. Did you read my texts?"

"I read enough to get out of bed. When did you get here? Why are you here? What did I miss?"

"We got here like a half hour ago. I'll explain everything in the morning. We're busy getting ready for bed. We're all exhausted."

"Well, don't go to sleep yet. I'm on my way over." Teddy anxiously exclaimed as he jogged across the street and up the hill a few feet to get to the gate in front of Zoe's driveway. "I forgot the code to Zoe's gate. Can you let me in?"

"Yeah, hold on." Carmen dropped the phone from her ear to her shoulder as she turned her attention to Kenneth. "Do you know how to let Teddy in? He's at the gate."

"Oh, yeah, sure." Kenneth hurried to the front door and looked to the IPad on the wall, typing in a few numbers to open the gate. When it didn't work, he tried again but, that still didn't work. So, instead, Kenneth used the IPad to call Zoe's room. "Zoe, did you change the code to the gate?"

"Yeah, why?" Zoe answered as she wiggled into Teddy's sweatshirt and pulled her damp hair out of the sweatshirt.

"Teddy's at the gate. I can't let him in if I don't know the code." Kenneth pointed out.

"Teddy's here?" Zoe's panicked, her eyes widening and heart racing.

Zoe didn't even give Kenneth the chance to confirm before she hung up on him and put in the code for the gate. Teddy sighed with relief and shuffled up the driveway, ready to get out of the cold. Zoe rushed to make sure she looked alright before she threw open her bedroom door and ran through the house to get to the front door. Kenneth and Carmen exchanged amused and confused glances as they listened to her stomp so frantically down the stairs, as if it were Christmas morning.

Teddy was halfway up the driveway before the front door of Zoe's house flew open. Teddy lifted his head from the icy driveway, his steps slowing when he spotted the little blonde standing in the huge doorway. He nearly cracked a smile at the sight of her. It felt like it had been months since he had seen her but, really, it had only been two weeks. And, seeing her now, standing in the cold in one of his sweatshirts and her pink pajama pants, Teddy felt happy. He wasn't even thinking about the fact that his sister was here as well.

"Morning, Bozo." Teddy groggily chuckled as he stepped up the short steps to the front door.

The second Teddy approached the door, Zoe jumped at him. Teddy was just quick enough to react, his hands fleeing his sweatshirt pocket to brace himself on the doorframe. Zoe's weight pulled him down a bit but, Teddy was strong enough to hold them both up straight as she clung to him so desperately. Teddy was shocked, obviously, as his heart began to race and his eyes widened. He didn't expect to have her this close this quickly. They had never been this close before. Her legs were literally wrapped around him.

Teddy didn't even get a moment to properly respond before he felt Zoe's body tremble and stutter as she held back as many sobs are she could. Teddy was even more taken aback by her crying now, one of his arms holding tight around her waist as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him. Zoe didn't let go, though. She didn't want to let go of him. She just wanted his warmth and comfort after everything that had happened. And she wanted to absorb as much of him as she could before he hated her again.

"Okay, Zo.. Can you let go of me for a second?" Teddy awkwardly patted Zoe's back to gently get her attention.

Zoe reluctantly complied, holding back her sobs until it physically hurt her head and her chest. Zoe's legs came undone from Teddy's waist before her arms fell from his shoulders. She tried to keep her head down so Teddy didn't see how much of a mess she was since she could still feel tears fall down her cheeks and her bottom lip wouldn't stop quivering. Teddy wouldn't allow her to hide, though, as he gently grabbed under her chin and lifted her head so he could properly look at her.

The gentleness in Teddy's touch made Zoe's heart clench. And, when she finally looked him in the eyes again, she felt warm. He was looking at her like she was a lost puppy and he touched her like he could rescue her and protect her. It almost made Zoe start to sob again but, luckily, only a few silent tears poured from her eyes. All Zoe wanted was Teddy and, finally having him in front of her made her happier than she had been in weeks. Although, she was also riddled with guilt and self loathing over the fact that she caused so much trouble.

"God, you're such a mess." Teddy whispered with a soft smile on his face as he stared down at Zoe, mindlessly fussing with his hat.

Zoe embarrassingly scoffed and tried to duck her head before Teddy lifted it again, this time covering his free hand in his sweatshirt sleeve to wipe away her tears. He wasn't even scared to wipe the snot from her nose since he was more focused on his desire to take care of her. Zoe was even more embarrassed, which turned her cheeks just as red as her eyes and nose. Teddy didn't mind. Sometimes it was a hassle taking care of Zoe but, most times, all he had to do was clean and cheer her up. He could do that easily.

"Sorry.." Zoe whispered as she stared deep into Teddy's eyes, falling head over heels for the soft expression on his face. He was really handsome in a hat and somehow looked even more attractive now than the first time she saw him in one.

"Are you alright?" Teddy asked. All of his focus was dedicated to this little blonde. He hadn't even realized that he would see his sister and niece, and stranger, if he simply turned to his left.

"No." Zoe's lip began to quiver again as she ducked her head and wrapped her arms gently around Teddy's torso. She really missed his smell and his warmth and his voice.

"Did you just shower?" Teddy asked as his fingers seeped into the cold, damp strands of Zoe's blonde hair. Zoe nodded her head, refusing to let go of Teddy. He didn't seem to mind as he kept her head pressed to his chest. "Why are you home? What happened?"

Just as Teddy asked that, he lifted his attention from Zoe and looked around her house. He was quick to spot Carmen all the way across the kitchen and in the little dining nook on the other side. She waved once at her brother when he finally spotted her. Kenneth kept his eyes on Zoe, slightly worried about how attached she seemed to be to this young man. All Teddy had to do, though, was place his hands on Zoe's shoulders and she let go of him, watching him as he stepped away from her and jogged across the kitchen to reach his sister.

Carmen stood from her chair just in time for Teddy to wrap his arms around her and squeeze her against him. Carmen easily nuzzled into him and closed her eyes, feeling an immense amount of stress flee her muscles at the comfort of her family in her arms. Carmen didn't cry, even though she kind of wanted to. There was too much on her mind to be bursting into tears right now. Teddy was holding it together worse than her, though. He had been struggling so much with missing her and their mother and their family.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Teddy breathed, obviously stressed by Carmen's sudden arrival. He was so scared of the answer that it made him start to shake just a bit. "I thought you said you couldn't come back this year."

"Yeah.. I didn't think I could but.." Carmen let go of Teddy, her eyes briefly meeting Zoe's over Teddy's shoulder. "Plans changed."

"Changed how?" Teddy asked, instantly getting distracted as his nose scrunched and he looked Carmen up and down. "Why does it smell like you fell into the ocean?"

"Because, I did." Carmen patted a hand on Teddy's chest and sidestepped him. "Zoe already washed up while Kenneth and I were feeding the babies, I already put Malik down, and now, Zoe and Kenneth are gonna watch Bailey until I'm done showering too. Then we can all go to bed. Finally!"

Carmen stepped out from in front of Teddy and gestured towards Zoe and back at Bailey, silently signaling for them to swap positions. Zoe perked up and hurried around the kitchen island to make sure Bailey was being watched. She was sat on top of the table with a plate of banana slices, apple slices, and crackers. Carmen didn't want Bailey to crawl off the table and hurt herself so, it was Zoe's turn to stand watch. Kenneth stayed leant against the counters with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Wait, Kenneth.." Teddy's eyes landed on the stranger stood idly by, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as he examined this familiar man. "Who are you, again?"

"He's the Yang family's assistant." Zoe chimed as she strutted past him. "Don't you recognize him?"

"Recognize him?" Teddy was completely baffled. He was trapped in his head for a moment before he realized he had seen Kenneth once before. Teddy's confused expression instantly twisted into shock and anger. "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Isn't this the same guy that dragged you out of school like he was in the mafia?"

"Oh, careful." Kenneth raised a finger, all eyes landing on him as he smirked. "Hiro really likes it when people call his staff, and himself, The Mafia so, I wouldn't advise you let that stick. He's actually working on tagging all his guys with enamel pins on the inside of their suit jackets. I think he was looking at rattlesnake designs or..."

"Uh, Uh, Uh!" Teddy harshly interrupted to shut Kenneth up. "I didn't ask! And I don't know who Hiro is so-"

"Hiro is my father." Zoe added from behind Teddy, who turned around to see her climbing on to the table to sit beside Bailey. "I don't know why you're so angry, Teddy. Nobody has even told you what happened yet. You should save your energy for when you come deal with me."

"Why? Did you do something, Zoe? Do I have to yell at you now?"

"No! You're not yelling at anybody!" Carmen declared from the other side of the kitchen. "I'll tell you my side of the story and then Zoe can tell you hers and you're not allowed to get angry. If you do, I'll have to pummel you."

"Uh, same." Kenneth added.

Teddy shot Kenneth a glare, biting his tongue to keep from spitting angry comments at the guy. Teddy couldn't be sure that this guy wasn't one of the guys that beat him under the bridge two weeks ago. He also couldn't be sure that he had never hurt Zoe. There was also a possibility that he was here to keep tabs on Zoe or Carmen for Zoe's parents or Ezra, which would irritate Teddy even more. So, naturally, Teddy felt defensive against this guy and extremely protective of the two women in this room.

"Alright. Come on. I'll tell you the story while I shower. I feel so gross and dry right now, I can't stay like this any longer." Carmen huffed before she turned and walked through the house with natural confidence.

Teddy hurried across the kitchen to keep up with Carmen but stopped and spun on his heels when he remembered Zoe and Bailey would be left alone with Kenneth. "Do you even know how to watch her, Zoe? And, are you going to be alright with him?"

Zoe looked up from Bailey, slightly confused by his questions. "I-I know how to watch Bailey.. And, you don't have to worry about Kenneth. He's one of the good ones."

Teddy nodded and turned on his heels again to follow Carmen. She was already stripping naked in the bathroom, urging Teddy to wait behind the closed door before she could hop in the shower and hide behind the curtain. When the shower was on and she was hidden, Carmen gave Teddy permission to enter the bathroom. He kicked his sisters clothes aside on the floor and took a seat on the wide bathroom counter. He was anxious to finally understand what was going on.

"Alright. Spill." Teddy sighed as he leant back against the mirror and stared at the abstract painting across the room.

"Before I say anything, you have to promise me that you won't be upset with Zoe." Carmen demanded from the other side of the curtain.

Teddy dropped his head, closed his eyes, and shook his head. "I should've expected this to be all her fault."

"Hey! None of this is her fault! Zoe had nothing but good intentions and the only fault in this story is Ezra, himself." Carmen retorted.

Teddy sighed. "Just tell me what happened, Carmen. I'm worried to death right now. I don't know what the hell is going on."

Carmen could only tell Teddy what she knew so, there wasn't much story to tell. She started the story with the moment she got a call from Ezra, who demanded she hop on a plane and get him into a Sensation event. Carmen did so, quickly learning that it was Zoe who demanded she attend. When she got to the event, Ezra wasn't allowed in so, Carmen went in on her own. She didn't tell Teddy about the tiara and diamonds since, not even she wanted to think about that part.

Carmen did tell Teddy about Zoe's bruises that she got from ballet, though, hoping Teddy cared about Zoe enough to give her a bit of sympathy and not be consumed by anger. She couldn't see Teddy's reaction to that bit of information as he sighed and removed his hat to rub anxiously at his head. Even Teddy had gotten beaten, secondhand, by Zoe's mother but, he didn't believe she would do that to her own daughter. And Zoe didn't even say anything to him about it. He was annoyed by that.

Skipping over the part where Ezra found the diamonds by tearing apart her hotel room, Carmen jumped to the part where they arrived at the exclusive Sensation event on the yacht. Ezra was planning on using Carmen to get in by somehow convincing the bouncer that he was her 'plus one'. But then, they ran into Mr. Graham on the way to the yacht so, Ezra decided to convince him to get him on the boat, since they were good friends and his wife and kids were allowed on the yacht.

Unfortunately, that worked, despite Zoe's protest. Carmen told Teddy that she was having a really nice time with Zoe on the yacht as they simply chatted for awhile. That was before Ezra showed up again and made a huge scene over the fact that his introduction with the Yang's didn't go so well. He blamed Carmen and Zoe for his misfortune and decided he had nothing to lose anymore. That's when things got a bit blurry for Carmen as the adrenaline kicked in and she simply worried about getting her babies back on board safely.

Teddy clenched his fists in his lap and ground his teeth together as he seethed with anger and annoyance. He hated Ezra. He hated Ezra with every fiber of his being. The guy was a complete monster. He didn't even have to hear about Ezra's attack on Carmen in her hotel room to want to rip his throat out. It was bad when Teddy knew Ezra had hurt his sister but, now he was after Zoe as well. Just the fact that Zoe would even get involved with Ezra made Teddy angry at her.

"God! That girl drives me crazy!" Teddy seethed. "Why would she even put herself in front of Ezra? Why does she do such stupid shit all the time?"

"Oh, come on." Carmen chuckled from the other side of the curtain. "You have to admit that you would take a shot at Ezra if the opportunity presented itself too. Zoe saw an opportunity and she took it."

"Recklessly! She was reckless!" Teddy exclaimed. "She didn't have a plan, she didn't think about the consequences, she-she-"

"Teddy." Carmen sighed. "Think for a minute, Teddy. Zoe took a leap of faith because she wanted to protect me. And the kids. She wanted to do right by our family and she didn't hesitate to try. She's a brave girl, Teddy, and I really really appreciate her for that. She wasn't scared of Ezra for even a second. She's just like you."

Teddy groaned, feeling his emotions crumble in on him. On one hand, he wanted to hug Zoe because he knew it took a lot for her to be brave and she even paid the price for it but, on the other hand, he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs about how stupid and irresponsible she was. What Teddy hated the most was the fact that he couldn't protect her himself. He couldn't even protect his own sister, which made Zoe think she had to take on that responsibly. That drove him even more crazy.

With all those thoughts racing through his head, Teddy then realized that Zoe was here. She had been gone for, what felt like, forever. Teddy couldn't help himself from jumping off the counter and rushing out of the bathroom as he put his hat back on. He didn't know what he was going to say or what he was going to do but, he just had to see her face, at least. He wasn't mad at her when he was with her. That's all he knew. As long as she was okay, he was too.

"Where's Zoe?" Teddy asked Kenneth once he was stood in the kitchen. Both Zoe and Bailey were gone, actually. "And my niece?"

Kenneth was busy washing dishes, only stealing an uninterested glance over his shoulder. "Bailey got too tired to finish her food so Zoe brought her upstairs to put her to bed."

Teddy took a deep breath and turned on his heels to rush back upstairs. He made it back to the second floor and down the hallway a bit, wondering which door it was that she went into before one of them opened behind him. Teddy abruptly spun round and spotted Zoe's figure stepping out of the pitch black room and into the nearly pitch black hallway. For some reason, nobody had bothered to turn the lights in the hallway on. Probably because it was late, they were tired, and nobody was interested in standing in bright lights.

"Zoe." Teddy whispered in the darkness.

Since it was so dark and quiet, Zoe had no idea Teddy was behind her so, the second he spoke, she instantly jumped and cupped a hand over her mouth to keep from squealing. Teddy chuckled, watching as Zoe turned to him and awkwardly straightened out her scared posture. She imagined Teddy had heard the story now and was probably ready to ring her neck. She just wasn't ready for the anger and the lecture and the cursing. She didn't want Teddy mad at her. She missed him too much to immediately be yelled at by him.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Teddy whispered.

"Uh.. Sure.. My room?" Zoe nervously hugged herself.

"Sure.." Teddy cleared his throat, feeling anxious at that invitation. There were instantly unholy thoughts in his head but, he tried to force those aside so, he didn't lose his train of thought.

"Okay. Before you say anything, because I know you're going to yell-" Zoe sighed as she shut her bedroom door and tried to brace herself for this conversation.

Teddy easily cut Zoe off by grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him before she could say anything else. His arms wrapped around her shoulders and his head rested on top of hers as he took a long, deep breath to calm his nerves. Zoe was frozen, caught off guard by Teddy's unfamiliar act of affection. He was warm, though, holding her so tightly and breathing so slowly. Zoe couldn't help but smile and nuzzle into Teddy's warmth. If he was going to give her affection then she was going to receive it.

"I'm not going to yell at you, Zoe. No matter how badly I want to." Teddy reassured, causing Zoe to chuckle. "What you did was incredibly stupid but, I would've done the same thing so, I understand. Nobody got hurt, you're okay, my sister is home. That's all I could've asked to come out of this situation."

Zoe let out a long, relieved sigh at Teddy calm reaction. She imagined the worse. She imagined Teddy would never speak to her again and blame her for every single bad thing that ever happened to him. Luckily, Teddy was trying to turn over a new leaf. He didn't want to be so angry all the time and, with Zoe, that was hard because, well, he didn't really know how he felt about her. Sexually, he wanted her very badly but, romantically, he just didn't see it working out for them. It was too complicated.

So, Teddy and Zoe simply enjoyed their time together in this big, cold room in the middle of the night. Zoe was nearly falling asleep wrapped in Teddy's arms and his sweatshirt and his comfort. He smelt like home, which made her feel so safe and protected. This was exactly what Zoe wanted from Teddy since the beginning. She didn't need anything but his understanding and his comfort. Nobody seemed to get that. She just wanted to feel safe and taken care of.

Zoe was tempted to ask Teddy a million questions as they stood wrapped in each other but, she didn't want to make Teddy uncomfortable. Obviously, she was curious why he hadn't used the house while she was gone or ever texted or called her back when she had been trying to contact him for the past two weeks. She wanted to know if he missed her or if he ever planned on kissing her again. She really wanted to be kissed by him again. Nothing would make her happier.

"Okay, uhm.." Teddy cleared his throat as he unraveled his arms from around Zoe and took a step back.

Zoe bit back the urge to grab Teddy and pull him back to her. She really wanted to be held. She wanted to be with him. Teddy could see that very clearly in Zoe's big, brown eyes too. She looked sad and lonely and desperate. That somehow made Teddy want to get out of here even quicker. If Zoe kept looking at him like that, he didn't know if he'd ever leave. He had to be strong and put some distance between them before it was too late.

"There's a few more rooms in this house, right? I should probably find one and take a nap before I have to get up again. Last day of finals tomorrow, or today.. so.." Teddy awkwardly rambled as he rubbed his clammy hands together.

When Teddy couldn't think of anything else to say to get out of here, he just started walking towards the door. Zoe watched him walk away, biting anxiously on her bottom lip. She didn't like when Teddy walked away from her. She wanted to be with him all the time. She didn't want to be alone. And it hurt even worse to know that she was leaving in a few hours to go back to Los Angelos and she might not come back. Not if her mother had any say in the matter.

"Teddy!" Zoe finally blurted when she couldn't handle it anymore. Teddy stopped at the door and hesitated before he turned on his heels and looked back at her tiny figure stood in the middle of the room. "I'm leaving again.."

Teddy's stiff and awkward posture turned alert and curious. His eyebrows slightly pulled in as he let his emotions slowly swell within himself. "Again? Now?"

"Yes. I can't stay much longer.." Zoe pulled the sleeves of her sweater down to cover her shaky hands as she got more and more nervous. She could already feel her own emotions swell but she tried to stay calm. "And.. I might not come back."

"Wait, what?" Teddy took long strides away from the door, completely forgetting about his nervous attempt to escape. Zoe cowered only a step back, scared of his reaction. "What do you mean you might not come back? You said you only had to leave for work and then you'd be back. You told us all you'd come back."

"Well, yeah.. I know, I know.." Zoe stammered as she stared up at Teddy's tall, handsome stature. "But, my mother is very, very angry with me. After.." Zoe gulped as she hesitated. "A-After you k-kissed me, uhm... my mother said I can't come back. Technically, I'm not even suppose to be here now but, I wanted to see you again before I can't anymore..."

Teddy was speechless. This was exactly why Teddy told himself not to act on any of his feelings for Zoe. He knew she would eventually disappear and take all of his feelings with her. And now, she was going to disappear because of him. He felt like he basically jinxed himself. This was an act of karma. Teddy wasn't suppose to get close to Zoe, he knew that, and when he did, the one thing that he didn't want to happen, happened. She was going to leave, forever.

Instinctually, Teddy wondered if Zoe leaving here was best for her. She was surrounded in a lot of drama here and she only worked on weekends, when she had enough time to get on and off of planes between cities. It was probably better that she stayed in Los Angelos or New York, where she could properly flourish. She'd probably get in a lot less trouble with her mother as well if she wasn't around Teddy and all the assholes at their school. Maybe, it would be better for her not to be here.

"I wanted to tell you but you weren't answering my calls or texts and I wanted to know what you'd say and..." Zoe nibbled on her bottom lip as she watched Teddy's complex emotions cross paths with one another. "Why were you ignoring me?"

"I wasn't ig-" Teddy snapped but stopped himself. He was ignoring her. He couldn't lie about that. He was just so conflicted and it was driving him crazy. So, he decided to stick with his lie. "I was letting you work."

"When I was texting you, I wasn't working, Teddy. And still, I never got anything back from you." Zoe countered with a deep frown. "What if this is all we have now?"

"You say that like we owe each other something." Teddy took a step back, feeling incredibly defensive and confused.

"You don't owe me anything, Teddy. That's not what I mean. It's just that you're my-"

"What?" Teddy shot, his eyes glued to Zoe. His heart was racing at a mile a minute, causing him to get loud and anxious. "What am I to you, Zoe?"

Zoe still nervously played with the sleeves of Teddy's sweatshirt as it hugged her in the warmth that she wished he would give her right now. "You're..." Her eyes brimmed with tears. "You're my best friend, Teddy."

Teddy instantly felt his heart turn to completely mush in his chest, his eyes falling shut and he reached to rub his forehead under his hat. He didn't want to be Zoe's best friend. He didn't mean to become such a thing. From the very beginning, that was exactly what he was trying to avoid. Teddy could feel himself crumbling, which made him head back towards the door of Zoe's bedroom so he could make another attempt at escaping.

Zoe expected Teddy to walk out and leave her alone, in this meaningless and cold room, causing one of her pooling tears to fall down her cheeks. She knew pulling Teddy closer would only push him further and further away but, nothing else had proven to make him stay. Surprisingly, though, when Teddy had his hand on the doorknob, he rested his head on the door and took a deep breath. He wanted to leave so badly. Mostly because there was a big part of him that wanted to grab Zoe, hold her, and never let go. It freaked him out.

"I knew this would fucking happen!" Teddy nearly shouted as he turned around again. "You're going to leave forever and all the shit we've put each other through will be for nothing! Why even bother with this, Zoe?"

"Don't you want me to leave?" Zoe sniffled, a sad smile pulling at her quivering lips. "I always imagined you would be cheering at the news of me never coming back."

Teddy shook his head as he stared, his mind racing. He always thought he would be cheering too but, Zoe had wiggled so deep under his skin that, he felt like he would be losing a big part of his life if Zoe left for good. Zoe made sure to take over a big part of his life as soon as she could and she succeeded, despite his protest. After everything they had been through and the friends they had built together, Teddy felt like he was going to be abandoned and he hated that feeling.

"You don't get it, Zoe." Teddy's eyes fell to the ground and he wallowed in the darkness. "All the people that mean the most to me have been taken away from me. And now, you come here and worm yourself into my life just to leave again. Forever. I mean, why did we even do any of this?"

"I'll come back, Teddy. I'll come back if you ask me to."

Not a beat passed before Teddy challenged that promise. "When? Huh? For how long?"

Zoe shrugged and sniffled. "I don't know. I really don't. But, I'll come back. I promise."

"No! Don't!" Teddy grabbed his hat and held on to the brim of it as he felt himself spiral into anger and frustration. "Don't promise me anything, Zoe! If you're going to disappear, just fucking disappear. Don't leave me to hang on a promise made by a girl who's worlds apart from me. What use is that to me? I have things to do, Zoe. I can't fucking wait around for you."

"What about me?" Zoe's eyes poured with a few more tears as she blinked. Her legs were beginning to feel weak as she felt her crippling loneliness begin to overwhelm her. "You're all I have Teddy. Please, don't tell me to disappear. I don't want to be alone."

Before Teddy could say anything, Zoe's legs fall out from under her and she collapsed in a pile of broken sobs. Teddy sighed and dropped his hands to his sides as he stared at Zoe's curled up figure on the floor. He didn't mean to shatter her like that. He was just so frustrated. He wished he could take the last few months and erase them from his memory so he never had to miss Zoe. Because, even Teddy knew that he would inevitably miss her. Even if he didn't want to. There was nothing he could do to elude Zoe Yang.

"Zoe.." Teddy whispered, only receiving a weak head shake from her.

Teddy sighed once more and slowly stepped towards the little blonde. Very cautiously, Teddy lowered himself in front of Zoe and gently shook her knee to get her attention. Zoe didn't dare look up at him as she softly cried into her lap. Teddy stroked Zoe's damp hair and twirled the blonde locks between his fingers when he reached the ends of her hair. He felt bad for making her cry but, he didn't know how to fix it.

"Hey, Zo.. Do you want to see something?" Teddy whispered as he fished his phone out of his sweatpants. "You can't tell Howl. If you do, I'll have to kill you."

Zoe curiously lifted her head, her eyes landing on Teddy before she realized he was unlocking his phone. Once Teddy found what he was looking for, he turned his phone towards Zoe, his smirk hidden behind the device. Zoe wiped a few tears away so she could see through the tears and quickly realized that Teddy was showing her the wallpaper of his phone. Behind the few apps he had was Zoe Yang. It was the photo of her in the park with her middle finger in front of the camera and a smile on a her face.

Instantly, Zoe's eyes widened and they lifted to look at Teddy's face. Teddy shamelessly held his smirk and dropped his phone to his lap. He didn't really have any excuse for putting that picture as his wallpaper. At first, he was just curious to see if it would fit nicely and, when it did, he didn't bother to change it again. He liked to see it when he opened his phone, anyways. It showed a side of Zoe that nobody else got to see and, every time he opened his phone, only he got to see it.

"You made me your wallpaper?" Zoe asked with a soft, weak voice. She wasn't done being sad but, she was successfully distracted. "Why would you do that?"

"Because, you made yourself special to me." Teddy begrudgingly admitted, leaving his phone open as it sat idly in his lap. He couldn't help but to cast the blame on to.

"Is that why you kissed me? Because I'm special to you?" Zoe nibbled on the inside of her cheek, her eyes studying every inch of Teddy's face that wasn't blocked by his hat.

Teddy sighed and mentally cursed. He really didn't want to talk about that. When he kissed Zoe, he wasn't thinking. He just knew, when he pulled away, he was smiling. After all this time, Teddy had been trying to convince himself that it was just because he wanted to calm his sexual curiosity. He only kissed her to find out what it felt like that. But, even that wasn't a good enough excuse. There was no way that was going through his head in that moment since it was a split second decision.

He just did it. Inexplicable.

"I-" Teddy's mouth was left hung open as he tried to come up with something. "I don't know, Zoe. I don't know why I did it."

Zoe rested her head on one of her knees, since Teddy still had his hand on her other, and put a pout on her face. She sniffled in the silence, still staring at Teddy as he stared down at his phone. Zoe's mind wondered as she stared at him. She couldn't help but think about what Carmen said when they were on the boat. Teddy and Carmen rarely got to see each other but they still stayed in touch. Zoe wondered if Teddy had actually told Carmen that he had never kissed anyone before or if she had just assumed it.

"Can I ask you a question?" Zoe whispered.

"Is it going to be like your last question?" Teddy cringed, hoping and praying that he wouldn't have to somehow answer another hard question.

"Maybe.." Zoe grinned. Teddy groaned shook his head but, did nothing to stop Zoe as she continued. "At the Christmas party.. Was that your first kiss? Was I your first kiss?"

Teddy didn't dare meet Zoe's stare as he internally began to panic. It would save him a lot of trouble to tell her the truth. He wouldn't have to worry about Joseph or end up a liar. But, on the other hand, Teddy couldn't help but flashback to the moment that Zoe found out Teddy was friends with Kim. She looked so shocked and betrayed, and that was only when she found out they were friends. What would she do if she found out they had done more together than typical friend stuff?

Teddy cleared his throat and hesitantly looked up at Zoe again. "A-And.. I-If it was..?"

Zoe shrugged, trying to bite back her smile and giddy feelings that were rattling inside her like excited butterflies. "I would be.. really happy. Since, it was my first kiss too."

Teddy's eyes closed as he sighed again. He hated this. He hated this so much. A big part of him wanted to tell Zoe the truth but, if she was leaving, forever, he really didn't want to leave things like that. He would rather let Zoe think something good had happened in her life, for once. If it was Zoe's first kiss, he didn't want to ruin that for her. This was all for her. That's, at least, what Teddy could tell himself to make some of this guilt go away.

-

Carmen didn't know exactly how to approach Kenneth now that everything had settled down. Teddy and Zoe were talking in her room, Carmen's babies were fast asleep, and Kenneth was stood at the island in the kitchen as he looked through his IPad at all the work the Yang's had coming up. When Carmen descended down the stairs and looked into the kitchen, she paused, unsure of what to do or say.

Kenneth could see movement out of the corner of his eye, though, and turned to see if it was Zoe. When he realized it was Carmen, stood in very sloppy pajama pants, he instantly straightened his posture and gave her his full attention. His hair was a mess from how many times he had run his fingers through it, the sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up, the top buttons were undone, and his tie and suit jacket were left in the living room. He looked tired.

Carmen smiled at his reaction to her presence and his messy attire as stepped reluctantly into the kitchen. She didn't know what to say but, she felt she owed him some gratefulness, at least. Kenneth wasn't used to being shown such a thing so, it hadn't even come to mind. He was too busy admiring how naturally beautiful Carmen was. After just getting out the shower, her hair was damp and extra curly, and her oversized shirt was hanging of her bare shoulder. It was endearing, to say the least.

All the girls Kenneth had ever considered fancying wore expensive clothes and lots of make up but, now that she had showered and changed into casual clothes, Kenneth realized Carmen hadn't been wearing make up this entire time. She was just this naturally gorgeous and youthful, despite having two kids and a toxic marriage. She still glowed like an angel and her sparkles with untold stories that intrigued him all the more intensely.

"Thank you, Kenneth.." Carmen quietly spoke as she approached him on the other side of the kitchen island. "I really appreciate you going all this way for me. I can't tell you how thankful I am to get to be with my children and my brother right now."

Kenneth smiled at Carmen's gratitude and relaxed a bit. He stared shamelessly at her as she glanced between him and her fidgeting hands again and again. "It's no problem, Carmen. It's the least I could do after what you've been through."

Carmen and Kenneth were silent for a moment as Carmen rode her train of thought to decide what to say next. "Does this mean I owe you.. something..? Or, the Yang's? I mean, I'll deliver on anything I can but, I also don't have much."

"No, no, don't worry about it. I would offer you pay me back by going to dinner with me but, that feels... douchey..." Kenneth chuckled and shook his head at himself. "I have a feeling hitting on you right now is probably the wrong move. I mean, you're married, you have kids, you probably don't want to worry about some random asshole hitting on you."

Carmen smiled, letting Kenneth tear down her walls once nervous word at a time. "I won't say I'm not flattered but, this does feel like a right place, wrong time situation."

"Right, of course." Kenneth shook his head again and dropped his gaze to his iPad as he swiped through a couple things. "Makes sense."

Carmen's smile turned a bit sad as she stared at and admired Kenneth's innocent, endearing demeanor. "That's not a rejection, by the way." Kenneth looked up, feeling suddenly hopeful. "I just hope we'll meet again when it's right for both of us."

"Of course." Kenneth shyly agreed.

That only made sense. Carmen had more than enough things on her plate, as did Kenneth. Being the Yang's family insistent was a 24/7 job. His life was tied to theirs. Kenneth really didn't know when the night time he had an evening to himself would be. Even if he did ever find a woman to date, or ever ran into Carmen again, there was no way he could guarantee a satisfying relationship. He just didn't have the time.

"It's probably about time Zoe and I get out of here. Is she still upstairs?" Kenneth asked Carmen.

"Yeah. Still upstairs. I think her and Teddy are talking in her room." Carmen nodded.

"Oh." Kenneth looked in the direction of the stairs, although her couldn't see them from where he was stood in the kitchen. His mind wondered for a moment before he spoke up again. "Are they... a couple? Or, what's going on with them?"

Carmen smirked and shrugged. "I don't even think they know the answer to that question. They're young teens, after all. They're probably feeling a lot of things all at once."

Kenneth chuckled and stepped away from the kitchen island to search for Zoe. "Good point."

-

"Can I ask you.. another question?" Zoe whispered, rolling her head against the floor so she could look at Teddy. He did the same since he was laid on his back right beside her, nervously holding his breath to brace himself for another anxiety attack. "If this is really our last time seeing each other, for awhile, at least... will you kiss me again?"

Teddy reeled at that question, his nervous expression turning a bit shocked, although, he tried not to show it too much. He wasn't expecting Zoe to be so bold and ask a question like that. It made his heart pound in his chest and his throat get all dry. Zoe was increasingly anxious as well, though, she was too curious to bite her tongue and keep quiet. She had to ask. If this was really her last time getting to see him, she didn't want to regret never even asking.

Even if he rejected her, Zoe could go home knowing there might have never been anything between them.  That would, at least, help her move on. If he did kiss her then, Zoe might actually try to fight for this a little longer.

The silence that hung between them grew more and more dense as they both kept quiet. Teddy shifted uncomfortably and stared up at the ceiling as he tried to figure out how to answer that question. If this really was his last time seeing Zoe, it wouldn't hurt anyone if they kissed. He wouldn't sleep soundly for another few months but, it was a small price to pay for a farewell gift to Zoe. But, he worried it would reflect a little much of that part of him that wanted her. He didn't want her to pick up the hint.

"And... If this isn't the last time we see each other?" Teddy awkwardly asked, keeping his eyes on the ceiling. "What happens if you come back?"

Zoe stared at the side of Teddy's head and carefully studied him, although, she couldn't read him. She never could. But, she had a feeling that she knew exactly what Teddy wanted to hear. It was obvious that Teddy didn't like her. Not like that, anyways. They had gotten closer as friends but, Zoe didn't see Teddy ever allowing her too close to him. It was possible that he simply wasn't attracted to her and that couldn't be helped so, she just had to accept that possibility.

"We never speak of it." Zoe shrugged. "If I come back, we'll act like it never happened and I'll never ask for another one. We'll just stay friends."

"You're okay with that?" Teddy's eyebrows slightly furrowed as he turned to look at her again. He didn't predict Zoe would agree to something like that. He expected a marriage proposal.

"Yeah." Zoe's smile broadened as she drowned in her own admiration of Teddy. Staring into his eyes and being this close with him, just the two of them, made her very, very happy. "I'll just be happy to be your friend again. I don't need anything more."

Teddy gulped, his attention completely glued to Zoe. His heart rate was freaking him out now. It was at such a dangerous speed that it worried him. The room was so silent that he could almost hear its thumping echoing in his ears. If it was any quiet, even by a decimal, Teddy feared Zoe even might be able to hear it. He was almost distracted enough by his anxiety to forget to answer Zoe's question all together. He already had his answer, after all. There wasn't much to debate.

"Okay.." Teddy sat up and propped himself up on his elbow as he turned his body towards Zoe. He turned the bill of his hat around so it was facing backwards and out of his way. "We can kiss again."

Zoe's lips parted in a slight gasp as she also sat up and reflected Teddy's position so, they both could face each other. Teddy took a long, deep breath as his eyes bounced all around Zoe's face. She was wearing zero make up, her hair was fluffier and messier than usual since her shower, and it was incredibly tense in here but, still, she was pretty. Zoe was so, so pretty. It didn't help Teddy's anxiety at all.

"Are you ready?" Teddy whispered, mostly asking his internal self. That anxious voice inside his head said no but, he knew he was going to do it anyways.

"Yes." Zoe excitedly nodded, her bottom lip finding it's way between her teeth before she realized she had to use her lips in a second.

Teddy gulped as he calculated his next movement. He was going to kiss Zoe. That very idea was hard to believe yet, he was doing it. He couldn't help but feel like this was their first kiss. Because, when they actually did this for the first time, Teddy acted on pure reflex. He basically blacked out. Now that they were acknowledging it and staring into each other's eyes beforehand, it was creating a whole different experience. This was worse than the first time, for sure, Teddy thought.

Without another word, Teddy reached to caress Zoe's face and gently brought her in close to him. He was hesitant to make their lips meet yet, Zoe already had her eyes closed and lips slightly parted. Teddy knew he couldn't hesitate any longer, though. So, to make this easier, he thought back to his lewd dreams on Zoe. He pictured those moments when he got to touch her and kiss her anywhere he liked. When he even got to hear her moan and woke up dying from arousal.

That was enough for Teddy to press his lips against hers and dive directly into his pit of lust. The kiss was careful at first, both parties bracing themselves in this tense moment before they could even think of enjoying it. But, as they both fell into each other's spell, Zoe felt like she was floating and Teddy felt like he was falling. The only way Teddy knew how to hold on was to pull back just enough to kiss her again, this time kissing her a little harder.

Zoe's breath hitched at Teddy's second approach, her hand instinctually reaching up to to Teddy's hand so her finger tips laid gently atop his knuckles. She could feel her heart race now. It felt like Teddy was kissing her with meaning and passion, opposed to his very reluctant and gentle start. It got her excited, though, which made her smile against Teddy's warm, plump lips. She wanted more of this. This was fun.

The feeling of Zoe smile against his lips made Teddy just as happy, which fueled his desire to make this kiss even better. He couldn't fight the urge to brush her bottom lip with his tongue, silencly asking for entrance. Zoe was so excited by that request that she invaded Teddy's mouth first, although, she didn't really know what she was doing. Luckily, the second her tongue touched his, Teddy took control and kissed her deep enough and long enough to please them both.

It was intoxicating for Zoe to kiss Teddy. He always moved in quickly, as if he missed when they were apart, and pulled away slowly, as if he never wanted to leave. His hand on her face ended up on the back of her neck, keeping her close while his fingers tangled themselves in her damp hair. Zoe could tell she wasn't very good at kissing, considering her and Teddy collided a lot more than they followed each other but, she was just so excited and Teddy was just so hungry that it was difficult to slow down.

Eventually, though, Teddy gained enough of his consciousness back to tell himself to pull away. It was difficult and he did it slowly, savoring the feeling of Zoe's warm, wet lips against his as he removed himself from her. He opened his eyes first, feeling drunk as his eyes attempted to focus on Zoe's face. They both quietly panted and mixed their breaths in the air between them, causing Teddy's eyes to fall to Zoe's lips. Her lips were glistening with spit. His spit mixed with hers. It was slightly erotic but innocent at the same time, making him go a bit dizzy.

"Again.." Zoe whispered. Teddy's eyes flickered up to Zoe's as they fluttered open. "Again. Kiss me again."

Teddy almost leaned in and complied with Zoe's wishes before a very loud alarm went off in his head. They were only suppose to kiss once and, when he agreed to it, he didn't think they would end up making out like that. His horny desires had taken over and drove him to get a bit carried away. It was Zoe, for God's sake. He had been dreaming of kissing her like that for months. He was afraid, if he did kiss her again, he'd never want to stop and they'd end up doing something worse or he's end up completely heartbroken when she finally had to leave.

"That sounds like a bad idea." Teddy whispered, his eyes bouncing Zoe's eyes and her lips.

"I don't care." Zoe breathed and hurried to plant her lips on Teddy before he could reject her.

Luckily, the second she was kissing him again, Teddy had convinced himself that what he said was false. There was no way this could be a bad idea if it felt this insanely good. It was comfortable and soft and addicting. Neither Teddy nor Zoe expected it to feel as good as it did, which made them both more excited to keep doing it. Their nerves were buzzing in their veins but, their minds were void of anything that didn't revolve around the one they were kissing. The world might as well have disappeared.

Teddy was getting so caught up in his lust for Zoe that he couldn't fight his sudden urge to be on top of her. He only went as far as guiding her backwards and propping himself up with his hands on either side of her head. The lower half of his body was still beside her, preventing them from being a little too caught up in the moment. Still, Zoe enjoyed herself, which she made obvious as she wrapped her arms around Teddy's neck. This is exactly the kind of kiss she was hoping for.

The awkward tension and hesitation between them was completely gone now, which gave Teddy the courage to put his hand on Zoe's hip and let it further crawl down her outer thigh. Zoe pulled Teddy in by her arms around his neck as she kissed him as deeply as she knew how to. Teddy's fingers pressed into Zoe's leg as he tried to restrain himself from letting that hand wonder towards the place he wanted to touch the most. There were so many places and ways that he wanted to touch her. It was driving him crazy.

Thump. Thump. Thump. "Zoe! We have to go!" Kenneth yelled through the door after pounding his fist against it.

Zoe broke the kiss with a loud groan, her arms unraveling from Teddy's neck to lay out dramatically on either side of her on the floor. Teddy gulped and looked towards the door, his brain void of thoughts and mouth void of words. He wanted to kiss Zoe again. It was fun to make out with her. When he did it with Kim, he was in his head the whole time. It wasn't the same as it was now, with Zoe. He was a lot more comfortable with Zoe. He wanted her more. His body responded to her before his brain even knew what was happening.

That's what made this so dangerous.

"Alright! I'll be right out!" Zoe yelled and let out a big, breathless sigh.

Teddy looked down at Zoe just as she looked up at him, their eyes meeting in silent acknowledgment of what they had just been doing. There was a bit of panic increasingly rattling within Teddy as he realized just how badly he wanted to kiss her again. It wasn't just an urge, an impulse, or a simple craving. Teddy could feel the active need to have his lips and hands on her grow more and more by the second, which made him slowly climb off of her and sit awkwardly on the floor beside her.

It was all just like Teddy's dreams when he was on top of her, his heart racing, and his lungs breathless. But, opposed to his dreams, they were both clothed. Still, Zoe's lips parted and a tad swollen with her hair spread out around her was an all-too-familiar sight. Teddy's curiosity expanded to dangerous extents now. He wondered what Zoe's actual moan would sound like, not the one his brain came up with for her. He wondered what she looked like under all her clothes and if her skin would be as warm and soft against his as he imagined.

Teddy was so trapped in his imagination that he didn't catch Zoe before she was stripping of her pajama pants, his huge sweatshirt still covering most of her. Still, when she was plucking the pants off the floor, she was bent over and flashing her ass and underwear without any hesitation. Teddy instantly closed his eyes, groaned in agony, and tipped over as he rubbed the heel of his palms into his eye sockets. He wished the floor would swallow him whole right about now.

"I hate when you do that, Zoe!" Teddy cried from the floor as she searched for a comfortable pair of jeans in her closet.

"What?" Zoe yelled, genuinely confused by what he muttered as she dipped her head of of her closet.

"Clothes, Zoe! Please, put on some clothes! Pants, preferably! Not a skirt!" Teddy exclaimed as he sat up again. "And stop stripping in front of me!"

Zoe stepped out of her closet in a pair of light blue denim jeans, showing them off by lifting Teddy's huge sweatshirt up to her waist. "There. I'm sorry. I'm wearing jeans."

"Thank you." Teddy sighed and began to rub the heels of his palms into his eye sockets again. This was even worse than his dreams. This was all too real and far too close within his reach.

"Asking a girl you just made out with to put clothes on is a little backwards, don't you think?" Zoe joked, her confidence dangerously inflated after finally getting what she wanted.

"I thought we agreed we were going to act like nothing happened." Teddy miserably muttered as he wallowed all by his lonesome.

"You're right.. I'm sorry." Zoe frowned.

Zoe already had her hand on the doorknob, ready to open it and leave but, still hesitating as a few questions came to mind. She wanted to ask him if it was a good kiss or if he felt the urge to do it again, like she did. She wanted to know how he felt. Maybe it had turned his feelings around and now, he could actually consider it possible that she was sexy and girlfriend material after he had declared both as ridiculous. The answers to those questions seemed pretty obvious now, though, as he growled at her to not mention the kiss ever again.

Instead of getting her heart broken, Zoe decided to ride this intoxicating high for a little while longer. The anxiety of what happened would come later. She didn't have to pile all of that on now.

"Want to walk me downstairs?" Zoe reluctantly asked Teddy, who was still groaning and attempting to bury his eyes in his head.

A moment passed before Teddy sighed and dropped his hands, shaking his head to rid of every bad thought plaguing his mind. Teddy pushed himself off the floor, turned his hat forward again, and sauntered towards Zoe. He instinctually shoved his hands in his sweatpants pockets to make sure they didn't go anywhere near Zoe. He wouldn't look at Zoe either, which made her very happy mood cower back inside her a bit. So, Zoe opened the door and stepped through to start down the hallway.

Teddy stared down at Zoe as she strutted in front of him, his thoughts still wrapped around the urge to kiss her. It would be so easy to grab her, pin her against a wall, and make out with her again. It felt good. It felt so insanely good. And she looked so appetizing with his own sweatshirt wrapped around her and drowning her tiny figure within it. Never again, though. They agreed on that. Friends didn't make out and Teddy would never let them go beyond friends.

"That's my sweatshirt, right?" Teddy lowly asked halfway through the hallway.

Zoe glanced over her shoulder as she hugged herself. "Maybe.."

"When did you take it?"

"The night you told me about Carmen and your family. Down by the river." Zoe explained. "You left before you could take it back so, I kept it."

"That was awhile ago." Teddy noted, mostly for his own benefit. "Have you worn it since then?"

"Plenty of times." Zoe shamelessly admitted.

Teddy wouldn't have admitted it as shamelessly as Zoe but, that made him smile. He tried to wipe the expression off his face, eventually succeeding when they started descending down the stairs. Kenneth was already by the door with a duffle bag in hand, which contained the only things him and Zoe took before they got on the plane. Kenneth agreed to ship all of Carmen's things here once they got back since the five of them were more concerned about getting on a plane to get here as soon as possible.

Zoe asked Teddy if he still had the keys to the car and house, which he silently nodded to as he stood idly beside his sister. Zoe hugged Carmen and asked if she'd be alright. Kenneth reassured her that Carmen would be taken care of here, since he had also given her the information to a Yang credit card that Carmen could use for groceries and emergencies. Zoe, Kenneth, and Carmen went back and forth, reassuring each other that they'd be alright before Kenneth finally kicked Zoe out the front door.

When the door was shut and the house was silent again, Carmen looked up at her taller, younger brother and noticed he was still staring at the door as he nibbled on his bottom lip. He looked a bit anxious with his eyebrows furrowed and his fingers fidgeting in his pockets. He didn't even look like he was here anymore, he was so zoned out.

It made Carmen frown as she judged him. "Are you alright? Did you two talk about what happened?"

"Nope." Teddy didn't lift his gaze from the door as he replayed their make out session in his head. His fingers itched to touch Zoe again. "We didn't talk about anything. We just made out."

"You what?" Carmen loudly yelled in shock.