Run Into the Wild

Several weeks had passed since Matt had held the barbeque, Zacky had been spending more time with his young daughter, taking her out. Gena never leaving his mind, he had loved her, he loved her a lot, but he didn’t need her now. He had little Sophie-Anne, she was his world now.

“Daddy,” Sophie-Anne whispered pulling on her Dad’s hand. She’d seen a man carved into her nightmares, someone she had once called Daddy . Yes, it was Adam Ross.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Zacky smiled leaning down to pick up his daughter. He looked into her fear ridden eyes, the smiled dropped faster than it had appeared.

“Daddy... It’s, it’s other Daddy. O-over there...” She whispered softly into Zacky’s ears, pointing towards the man who’d caused her so much pain. Zacky looked over towards him, he knew Adam. Oh he knew Adam well. Adam had been infatuated with Adrianne, so infatuated he’d taken her away from America. Back to the UK.

Zacky tightly gritted his teeth together, holding Sophie-Anne tighter to his body. He strutted over to where Adam stood. Not breaking his pace, he didn’t know what he was doing or what he would do when he came face to face with the man who’d ripped his soul mate from under his shoe.

“Daddy, what are you doing?” Sophie-Anne cried, she didn’t want to go near Adam again. Why would her Daddy take her to him? Was he really that sick of her that he wanted rid of her? She didn’t want to go back to Adam. Adam had left her, he’d beat her every other week. Why would Zacky give her back to him?

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” Zacky whispered, holding Sophie-Anne closer.

Jimmy, where are you? Zacky thought, he wanted Jimmy to appear so he could take Sophie-Anne.

“YOU!” A shrill voice called, Adam had noticed Zacky and Sophie-Anne.

“What are you doing with my daughter?!” Adam roared.

Sophie-Anne cowered her head into Zacky’s shoulder, holding him as tight as possible. She was scared out of her wits; she had gone through what no 6 year old should have gone through.

“Your daughter? YOUR DAUGHTER?” Zacky yelled back at him. Adam folded his arms across his chest, his stare focussing on Zacky in a deadly state.

“Yes, my daughter. I raised her, she’s my blood!”

Zacky chuckled softly at this. He understood that Adam thought that Sophie-Anne was his daughter, but to say it to Zacky’s face. Everyone had said that Sophie-Anne was Zacky’s double. How could Adam not see that?

“What are you chuckling at?” Adam’s face was redder than a tomato, his anger obvious.
“Oh, nothing. Just at the fact, Sophie-Anne isn’t your daughter. If she really was, why did Child Protection Services come all the way from England with Sophie-Anne and give her to me . If it wasn’t the fact she is my daughter Child Protection would never have known to bring her here. Sophie would still be in England, in care might I add, and Child Protection would be looking for you.” Zacky looked over towards Adam, his face ready to burst, fists clenched at his sides.

Zacky, being the bigger man, started to walk away. Laughing at the fact he’d put Adam in his place.

"Daddy, why did you do that?" Sophie-Anne giggled.

"Because you mean the world to me. I'll never let you go, princess." He smiled kissing Sophie-Anne's cheek.

~*~*~*~*~*

"Zack, we need to start writing again. We can't keep putting it off..." Matt explained to Zacky.

"I know, man. But you know I have a load on my plate, I need to find a sitter for Sophie-Anne." Zacky whispered, rubbing his hands down his face.

"Can Jemma not do it?"

"Nah, she's going back to Montreal with Pierre to discuss wedding details with Pierre. You forget that they actually live there?" Zacky laughed, looking at Matt who shook his head, letting a small chuckle escape his lips.

"Man, I should put an add out or something. We need to get back into the studio..."

"Wait, Val has a younger cousin. Bethany, she could do it? She's moving to Huntington Beach next week to stay with us." Matt suggested.

"I'll think about it," Zacky smiled. "Thanks, man."

"No, problem."

Sophie-Anne was sat in her bedroom, playing with the dolls her Uncle Jimmy had given her as a gift. She was mesmerized with them, it was like she had never had dolls in her life. Maybe that was the case, Adam never was the type who gave people what the wanted.

Zacky stood at the door, smiling down at his daughter who sat playing "Princesses" with her dolls, he chuckled softly every time she made the female doll kiss the male doll. Sophie-Anne noticed this and turned her gaze to where her father was standing.

"Daddy!" She called sweetly, standing up and running towards him.

Zacky bent down and held his arms out to catch Sophie. Once she was securely in his arms he lifted her up spinning her around.

"DADDY!" She giggled, Zacky giggled along with her.

He knew that now that he'd found her, he'd never let her go.

A wave of regret crashed down on him. He wished he hadn't let Ross take Adrianne away from him. If he had put up a fight for Adrianne, she would still be alive. He'd have a happy family. Adrianne, Sophie-Anne and him. The Bakers .

He held Sophie-Anne tight to his chest, a tear falling down his cheeks. Sophie-Anne wiped the tear away, smiling at him.

"Don't cry Daddy. I love you." She whispered softly, wrapping her arms tightly around Zacky's neck.

"I know, princess, I love you too." He whispered kissing her cheek. "Time for bed, baby."

Sophie-Anne ran to her dresser to get her pajamas as soon as Zacky had put her down. "Let me get changed, Daddy, than can you read me a story?" She smiled. Zacky nodded, walking out of the room. "Let me know when you're ready, princess."

After five minutes of Sophie-Anne getting ready, she had called her Dad back into the room. She was cuddled under the quilt with her bunny, Mr. Bun Bun.

"Can you read me Beauty and The Beast? Mummy always read that to me. She said it reminded her of a song." Zacky smiled, he knew what Sophie-Anne meant. Adrianne always loved the song The Beast and The Harlot

Zacky read the story to her, cover to cover. She had fallen asleep half way through the story but Zacky continued to read out of interest to the book.

"And they lived happily ever after..." He forced a smile onto his face.

He looked down at his daughter, her face soft and delicate.