'Cause I'm Lonely, And I'm Tired, I'm Missing You Again

The next day we were all packed up, in two small cars and one van, and on our way to Aspen. I was in the van with Ellie, Brian, Jimmy, and Katie, Matt and Maria had one car, while Johnny and Amber had the other. Brian was driving, and Ellie was in the passenger seat, blasting some ridiculous pop song so she could dance around. Sometimes I really wonder about that girl.

"So, Zack, what are you going to say when you see her?" Katie asked, nudging my shoulder.

"No clue, I just hope she's OK. I'll work off that." I said, looking out the window as we crossed the Nevada/Utah border. We'd been driving for a straight twenty-four hours, Jimmy took the first shift and was currently sleeping, Brian was driving now, and then we were stopping somewhere for the night so everyone could sleep and then Ellie was taking a shift, and then me. The others were just switching off, which was the main reason for us stopping.

************Meanwhile*************

"Come on Emz, you're gonna be late for your appointment." Tommy said, helping me wobble out of the car.

"Tommy calm down, if we're late we're late." I said as he tried to rush me through the door to the doctor's office.

"You're too laid back, go sit I'll check you in." He said making his way to the receptionist desk as I sat in one of the many waiting room chairs. Tommy came to sit next to me picking up a random magazine. "Why are they all pregnancy magazines?" He said, tossing it back and looking at the rest of them.

I looked over at him, eyebrow raised, "Really Tommy?"

"Oh, right." He said with a laugh, "Sorry."

"Whatever." I said leaning back into the chair more. After another ten minutes of waiting a nurse in light purple came out calling my name and motioning me back. With Tommy's help, I got out of the chair, and made my way to follow the nurse.

************************************

"I just got a text from Maria," Ellie said, "We're stopping in the next town at the first hotel we see."

"OK, about where are we?" Brian asked.

"I got it!" Katie yelled, holding the map up, "About two cities away from the Utah/Colorado border. We'll make it to Aspen tomorrow, I'd say around four in the afternoon."

I looked at her skeptically. "And you estimated that how?"

"Well, I don't know, I'm just guessing." She shrugged laughing with Ellie.

I shook my head and sat back. We would be there soon, and that was all I could anticipate. I didn't know if she'd be there, if she was OK, or if she had moved on and I had only been some two week fling. The third probably hurt me more than anything. I had come to terms that I, Zachary James Baker was in love with Emily Chrystyne Johnson.

And then I Knew I loved You by Savage Garden began to play. Oh Karma!

**********************************

"Emily! What do you want to eat!" Tommy yelled from I'm assuming the kitchen.

"Oh! Chicken and carrots! And olives! And can I have cherry pie for dessert?" I asked, slowly making my way into the kitchen.

"Yeah," He said laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

"You always hated that stuff til now."

"Oh, just shut up and make my food!" I said, throwing a towel at him. "I'll be in the living room watching pointless TV."

"K, have fun." Tommy said, digging for the ingredients to my food.

**********************************

"Zacky, would you calm the hell down!" Katie yelled, throwing a pillow at me as I paced the length of the room.

"I can't." I said, looking over at her and Jimmy, cuddled onto their bed. I sighed, looking over at Ellie and Brian, peacefully wrapped up in eachother's arms on their bed, and then I looked at my lonely cot. I wondered over to it and sat down, head in my hands and started to do something that I haven't done in a long while. "I know I don't talk to you anymore," I whispered my eyes closed, "but, Dear God all I ask is that you hold her when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away, and if you would please give me some sign that she's safe. I'd really appreciate it. In your name I pray, Amen."

I laid back, trying to relax so I could sleep. Slowly darkness overtook me, and I was gone.

"Daddy!" The little girl with my black hair and Emily's blue eyes yelled, running up to me arms stretched out in front of her.

"Hello my little Angel!" I yelled, picking her up and spinning her around. "Where's Mommy?"

The child pointed behind her, and I saw Emily, walking up to us. "Hello Mr. Vengeance." She said, pecking my lips, a smile gracing her beautiful face.

"I've been looking for you." I said, handing the girl to Emily.

"I've always been here, you just need to come find me." She whispered, before fading away.

I sat up, panting and sweat covered. "Man? You alright?" Brian asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, just a strange dream." I said, getting off the bed and heading for the bathroom. I closed the door and turned on the light, staring at the man in the mirror. "Who are you?" I asked myself. I looked ungodly ragged, like the past six months add sixteen years. I sighed, splashing water in my face before heading back to bed. "Was that the sign I asked for?" I asked, seemingly to no one. A gust of wind flew through the room and hit me. "I'll just take that as a yes." I said, wrapping the blanket around me and dozing off again.