capitulo seis:

Graven watched as Taylor hung up the phone and did something she hadn't seen him do in years. He cried. He really, really cried. "Grave?"

"Taylor what's wrong?" Graven asked concerned, echoed by the voices of Issac, Zac and Liz.

He tried to control himself and be brave. "There's been an accident," he hesitated before saying anything else. "There's been an accident," he repeated. "An accident."

"What?!" Liz cried. "What accident? What's happened?"

Taylor's eyes filled with more tears, making his big blue eyes appear bigger and shinnier. "An accident."

"I'm going to get mom and dad," Isaac said worriedly. Was was wrong with his brother? "Hold on Tay. I'm going to go get them. Who was that on the phone?"

"Some officer. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

"What's your fault? Please Taylor just tell me what accident you're talking about."

In a moment Taylor's whole face changed as he stared at Liz. In a mad rage he yelled at her "You killed my best friend's parents! You weren't just going to let me have her were you?" he swallowed, surprised by his outburst. "Sara and Luke..."

"Huh? What are you talking about? You're not making any sense." Liz shook her head in confusion. He had been flirting with her just minutes ago. Right then Liz didn't really clue in to the fact that Taylor knew Graven's parents first names, but she was getting the feeling that something wasn't right.

Graven knew. From the beginning she'd known. My parents are dead... My parents are DEAD. "Taylor," her voice was almost un-naturally low. "What happened?" She couldn't even cry, couldn't even think. The vodka was doing it's job and making her legs wobble in the process. Or maybe it's fear. She stumbled forwards and would have fallen if Zac hadn't grabbed her arm.

Liz meanwhile took Taylor's arm. "Let go of me!"

Diana and Walker Hanson rushed into the room followed by a teary Isaac. "Graven, we just heard. Honey I'm so sorry. So, so sorry. They just called us."

"A car accident?" squeaked Liz.

"Yes I'm sorry. Are you Liz Hunter?" Liz nodded. "Your mother has been taken to Oklahoma City Memorial Hospital. Your father has passed on. I'm sorry."

Liz couldn't hold it in... she began to bawl uncontrollably. Was this really happening to her? "WHY?" She yelled at the top of her lungs, "WHY?!"

Walker, trying not to cry himself, spoke up. "They tried to call your sister, but they found out through family friends that she is in Europe?"

Liz nodded and tried to speak between her sobs. "Yes... she got a job... a modeling job... there... Oh my god, Please tell me this isn't happening to me... please..." again, she broke into hystarics.

Walker began to speak again looking at Graven. "Sara and Luke Morrison were burned beyond all recognition. Our friend Brian Condon is in the rescue unit identified them through a picture of Graven and a credit card." He turned his attention to Liz. "Your father broke his neck on impact. He died painlessly. Your mother flew from the backseat through the front windshield. She's in very critical conditon now. I'm sorry, honey, it doesn't look like she's going to make it. But the doctors are doing everything in their power."

Liz covered her face with her hands, letting her tears flow effortlessly. The black ink that said ‘To Liz with love, Taylor Hanson' was smearing but she didn't care. She glanced up briefly to see how Graven was doing only to see her sobbing on Taylor's shoulder. Please God, let my mom be okay and I'll never want anything again. Please, please, please help her.

Graven looked up from her position buried in Taylor's arms. "Liz? Liz... oh my god..." She ran over to Liz.

"Graven..." Liz said embracing her best friend in a hug tighter than she ever had on anyone before.

All that could be heard from the two were muffled 'Oh my Gods' and 'please...god help me'. Their families, their happiness... their lives were gone.

Taylor walked up and tore Graven away from Liz's hug, taking her into him again. He then looked at Liz. "Don't you think you've done enough?"

Liz stepped back once... then twice... then ran past the whole Hanson family crying hystarically.

Zac gave Taylor a horribly dirty look before running after Liz.

"What was that, Taylor?" Diana asked sternly.

"She killed my best friend's parents! SHE KILLED THEM!"

Diana gave her husband the 'do something' look. Walker took a few strides over to Taylor and Graven and pulled Graven into a hug. "It's okay, honey, we're here for you.... Oh god, I'm so sorry."

Diana, meanwhile pulled Taylor into another room.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she yelled harshly.

Taylor looked up at his mother with wide eyes. She never swore. "Mom..."

"Jordan Taylor Hanson - that girl... that sweet girl just lost her father, probably her mother, and her best friend's parents and you told her it was her fault? What were you thinking?!"

"Mom, she-"

"No, let me finish! Losing family members is quite possibly the worst thing that could happen to anyone, and for you to tell her - Damn it, Taylor, for you to tell her that - this will be with her for her whole life, do you realize that? Do you?!"

Taylor nodded his head.

"Now for her whole life, she will blame herself because of you."

Diana turned around and walked out on her son.

Liz lowered herself to the ground... she couldn't walk. She looked around her and realized that she was on the stage. The same stage that Hanson had played on just hours before. She had been so happy. She stared out into the vastness that took over the venue, put her head in her hands and cried.

"Liz? Liz!" Zac, out of breath, ran over to her. "Liz, I'm so sorry..."

Liz lifted her head to look at Zac. She tried to get out words, but it was impossible. She just hugged him, crying even harder.

"Liz... Taylor didn't know what he was talking about... please, don't listen to him. Please."

"I have to, Zac... this is all my fault!" She said still muffled in his shirt.

"No, you couldn't have known... it's not your fault, please, Liz, you have to understand that."

He got no answer except for more uncontrollable sobs. He too, then, began to cry.

"Oh god..." Graven choked out one last wave of vomit. She stood up and turned around to Taylor who was holding her hair back for her. "What's the matter with me?"

"It's the liquor... it's all gone now."

She dropped to the floor again. "Taylor..." was all she had to say and he was right beside her. He, again, hugged her tightly.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Tay... I love you." she said between cries.

Taylor, unaware at the length of Graven's love answered her. "I love you, too. We're gonna make it through this together."

Diana, Isaac, Taylor, Zac, Liz, and Graven loaded into one van. Taylor was shoved between Liz and Graven in the backseat, while Isaac and Zac took up the two middle seats.

Liz did her best to avoid Taylor as they began their journey to the hospital. He's right.