A/N: Wow! It seems like forever since I've done this. I'm going to steal my favorite line from little Natalie Wood in "Miracle on 34th Street"... "I believe, I believe, I know it's silly, but I believe!" Zanessa fans, you know what I'm talking about! LOL :) Please just remember this is fiction. I mean no offense to these characters, I just can't help KTZLF'ing!

As always, your reviews, pm's, emails, facebook messages, and any other correspondence are greatly appreciated! I'm still a sucker for talking about HSM and my favorite couple. ;) Thanks for all your support and as always, Keep The Zanessa Love Flowing! (KTZLF!)

Scenarios: Reconciled

Stella watched her sister as she worked to scoot the table into the exact center of the room. Since the 16-year-old had arrived at her sister's spacious house, Vanessa had barely said anything to her.

"Hey, Stellz, good, I need a hand. Help me move the table." That was the greeting Stella received when she walked in the door. Granted her visit was unexpected, but she had hoped to talk her older sibling into going with her to get her hair cut on the sunny August morning.

"Not exactly the reason I'm here, but okay," Stella answered. "Why are you moving the table?"

"Not moving it, just putting it back into place," Vanessa explained in as few words as possible while trying to move the solid walnut piece of furniture.

"How'd it get out of place?" Stella wondered.

At that question, Vanessa didn't even attempt to answer. She simply grunted and motioned her pointer finger toward the opposite side of the table. Stella shook her head and moved where Vanessa was pointing.

"You've gotta lift it, don't scoot it. I've already tried that and scratched the hard wood." Vanessa ran her sock covered toe over what appeared to be a skid mark on the flooring.

"Why isn't Austin here helping with this?" Stella copied Vanessa's stance, bending at the knees and placing her palms under the edge of the table. "Did you guys have a party or something? And you didn't invite me!" She gave an extra oomph and then gently sat the piece back on the floor.

The two sisters lifted together once more and were able to shift the table almost directly into the center before Stella realized that Vanessa hadn't answered her at all. "Ness, you okay?"

"Hmmm? Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" Vanessa's answer was less than focused. Stella backed away from the table and began sizing up her sister who was far too focused on the job of centering the dining room table.

The phone rang just as Stella noticed the bandage on Vanessa's ankle. She thought she could make out just the hint of a bruise or scrape stretching upwards on the side of her sister's leg. Something else to add to her list of questions.

With the way Vanessa was acting, the younger of the two Hudgens girls decided against an afternoon of pampering outside the house. Instead she was now intent to get to the bottom of the weirdness that was playing out before her teenage eyes.

ScenariosReconciled

Vanessa picked up the cordless phone just inside the kitchen door and stepped back into the dining room. She looked at Stella and gave a quick, almost motherly, smile and then as quickly her face shifted, she turned her back and headed farther into the kitchen. Stella let her eyebrows scrunch toward her nose and stepped toward the door between the two rooms.

Eavesdropping wasn't something she had mastered, but the teenager pushed the door open just enough to try to hear what her sister was saying without being noticed.

"He's fine, thank you so much. Yes, it was the weirdest thing. He must've just landed wrong when he fell. Oh, yes, we have an appointment with a orthopedist on Monday so we'll make sure he gets everything checked out…"

Stella stood up a little straighter. Had something happened to Austin? How odd that both Vanessa and her boyfriend were injured at the same time. Was there an accident she had missed? Normally Vanessa would call and let her family know if something had happened…

The ringing doorbell took her mind off the phone call and other thoughts for just a moment. With Vanessa on the phone, Stella took it upon herself to answer the bell. She could handle letting Austin in, taking a delivery, or saying 'no' to a salesman.

She wasn't sure, however, that she could handle the sight of the man who appeared once she pulled open Vanessa's heavy, front door.

ScenariosReconciled

Zac adjusted the strap around his neck and grimaced slightly at the weird feelings. Between the ache in his wrist and the wooziness from the pain medicine he certainly didn't feel in tip-top shape.

Still he looked down at his wrist, splinted and wrapped in an Ace bandage, and smiled. He remembered every moment of the incident, including the excruciating second when he heard the bone break. He would happily relive it time and time again if the result of the evening was the same.

No, he hadn't planned on breaking a bone in the process, but it was well worth it. He grinned a teenage smile letting the whole thing replay in his mind. He looked at the three car garage in front of him and the stairs on the left that led to the front door.

With the splint and the pain killers he knew he shouldn't be here; he shouldn't have driven here, but it was just 10 minutes away. And for the life of him, he just had to make sure that the events that led to his broken wrist had also led to a healing of another sort; a reconciliation.

After a deep breath he reached across his body and pulled the lever to open the door. He blinked a few times into the sunlight and adjusted his sunglasses to try to shield the rays coming through the trees.

As tempted as he was to take the stairs two at a time he decided it'd be best to take it slow and avoid the risk of hurting himself yet again. Would the e.r. be suspicious if he came back in with another broken bone so quickly after the arm incident?

He laughed at himself. The meds were making him loopy. Sure, he would blame it on the medication. Whatever it was, he was feeling almost giddy. He climbed the steps with purpose and put his finger on the doorbell.

Zac nibbled on his bottom lip as he waited. He probably should've called before coming over but that would've led to a lecture. His physical presence would bring about the same lecture, but at least he could hear it and see her in person while she was griping at him.

That thought sent him into another round of daydreaming that made his eyelids heavy and his feet feel light. Her black hair was wavy again and almost past her shoulders, without extensions. Her eyes were just as dark and piercing as he remembered.

The vision of her face made the grin grow on his face. It had been too long since he had felt this way; too long since he had the opportunity to stare at those eyes; run his fingers through that hair; too long since he'd held her in his arms. That's why he'd taken the chance and driven here today.

Screw the doctor's instructions. The pain meds didn't make him sleepy, they just made him want her more. That's why he was back on the front porch of Vanessa's home. Because he just needed her.

The dreamy look on his face didn't go away when the door opened. Instead it turned into a boyish, nearly blushing expression. He looked at the girl with bleached hair and brown eyes who opened the door. When she stepped back he stepped inside the house and ignored her shocked, unsmiling face.

"Hi Stella Bella, how are you?"

ScenariosReconciled

Vanessa stepped quickly toward the door as soon as she could hang up the phone.

"Stellz, who was at the…" her voice drifted off as her eyes met Zac's blue ones standing just inside the entryway.

"Hey, you," Zac continued smiling.

"Hey there," she returned softly.

Their eyes never shifted away from each other leaving Stella to feel as though she were interrupting a sacred moment. She watched them both as Vanessa approached Zac slowly and tiptoed to kiss his lips in a gentle, but more than friendly manner.

"How's your leg?" Zac asked with concern. He lifted his good hand to Vanessa's shoulder and bent slightly forward to look down at the bandaged area.

"It's fine," she placed one of her hands on top of his on her shoulder. "Still smarts a little bit, but it's just a scrape and bruise. It'll heal. It's fine."

"Good, I'm glad it's nothing worse. Whatcha doin'?" He took her fingers in his hand and pulled them off her shoulder so they could stand more comfortably.

"Just trying to get the table re-situated," she cringed.

Zac noticed the lip biting that followed her slight grimace. "Don't overdo it, now. Do you need some help?" He began to step toward the dining room until Vanessa pulled back on his arm.

"What, from you and your one good arm?" She teased sarcastically.

When Zac turned back to face her he tilted his head and smiled with the same touch of sarcasm. Vanessa ran her hand easily over the sling and down the brown, stretched wrap until she could touch his fingertips that were sticking out from beneath.

"Does it hurt? Are you doing okay?" Her eyes told him just how much she was concerned.

"Nah, I'm good," he shrugged his shoulders and let his eyes focus on her cheek bones and nose before capturing her eyes.

"That's good," Vanessa responded quietly. "The hospital just called, by the way. They're wondering how you're doing," Vanessa informed.

"Seriously?" Zac shrugged his shoulders and readjusted the uncomfortable strap around his neck. "It's a broken wrist. Get me out of this splint and into an actual cast and I'll be fine in four to six weeks, right?"

"Well," Vanessa raised her eyebrows, "We have an appointment with the orthopedist on Monday, remember? No cast until he goes over the x-rays. You may still need surgery to set the broken bone. Until then, it's splint city. No running around, no skateboarding, no partying on the tables…" Vanessa dipped her chin and looked at him with the pointed, brown-eyed instruction.

Zac responded by wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. "Hey, no picking on the guy with the broken arm. Although, I'm ready to party on the table again…with you!" He joked.

Vanessa lost her ability to give him a strict reprimand. She slapped his chest playfully and stretched her neck upwards to meet his lips for another kiss. "No, sir," she answered. "Not till we get you back to the doctor and make sure things are healing just fine."

Zac pouted like a three-year old. "We?" He began to follow her through the house and into the kitchen.

"What?" Vanessa looked back at him over her shoulder.

"You said we have a doctor's appointment." He wondered curiously, yet the tone in his voice held more hope than simple curiosity.

"Yes, we do. Don't you remember me calling them to make an appointment before I left your place yesterday?" Vanessa turned to face him and reached for his hand. Both of them leaned against the kitchen counters, still obviously caught up in each other.

"Yeah, but the appointment is for me, not we," Zac replied.

"Are you planning to drive yourself?" Vanessa shook her head and ran a single finger from Zac's shoulder, down to his elbow that was cradled in the sling. "Which reminds me… How exactly did you get here? Zac, did you drive? The doctor specifically told you…"

Zac shushed her and placed a finger over her lips. All the while his head moved in a circular motion showing her that he was completely dismissing the fact that she was finally lecturing him for breaking the medical rules.

"Ah-ah," Zac's eyes widened as he tried to remove his finger but she started talking again.

"Zachary David Alexander…" she felt the push of his finger over her lips again and couldn't help but smile.

"Took you long enough," he smiled and then gave a nervous nod of his head before looking back into her eyes with seriousness. "I couldn't stay at home." Zac reached out and placed his hand on her cheek. "I needed to know if…" he pressed his lips together and ran his thumb over her soft mouth. "…if all the ruckus had actually ended the way I thought it did."

Vanessa ran her tongue over her top lip as soon as his thumb ran its course. She smiled at him with closed lips and nodded her head. She tilted her head to the side and took his hand in hers. She glanced down at their linked fingers and took a deep breath.

"I need to talk to Austin," she practically whispered, making Zac watch her closely. "I'm not sure he'll talk to me, but I need to try."

Zac nodded with a bit of uncertainty. "And that means?" He leaned more heavily on the countertop as he moved to catch her eye.

"The ruckus actually ended the way you thought. I want you, Zac. I want to take things slowly and rebuild what we had, but I want you. I love you."

Zac let out a long sigh and lifted his arm in the sling until he could wrap it and his uninjured arm around her. "I love you too, Ness. You don't know how long I've wanted to say that to you again."

He held her as tightly as he could and allowed her to easily give him the same treatment. Their lips met for a kiss that held just a hint of the pent-up feelings they had carried for each other. After they stood, wrapped in each other's arms, for several minutes a sound finally came from the back of the room.

"I don't care which one of you it is, but would somebody mind telling me what the heck happened here, why Zac's arm is broken and what does the dining room table have to do with it?!"

ScenariosReconciled

Vanessa buried her face against Zac's chest. Without looking she knew Stella's stance. Her younger sister was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed across her chest, doing her best to keep an angry yet confused look on her face.

"I knew it'd be Stellz or Ash, you know," Vanessa looked upwards and spoke against Zac's neck.

"Huh?" He questioned with a chuckle.

"The first person to see us together and you with the broken arm…it had to be Stella or Ashley. You know, because those two aren't afraid to be really nosey and ask anything that comes to mind," Vanessa explained.

"Hellloooo," the teen voice sounded behind them. "Still in the room and still waiting."

Zac bent his head down enough to smell the scent of her shampoo and feel the closeness of just touching Vanessa again.

When he raised his head he gave a silent chuckle that Vanessa felt in his chest. He raised his voice to make sure Stella could hear him, "Ooo, I'm feeling a little dizzy…" Zac's tone was less than believable.

"Not gonna work, Efron. You two have put on a really good show for me over the past half hour. Now it's time for answers. Don't make me call Ashley," Stella threatened.

"See?" Vanessa raised her eyebrows and showed Zac her playful brown gaze. "They are cut from the same cloth. I swear we let them spend way too much time together when Stellz was younger."

"Why don't we go sit down in the living room?" Zac suggested.

Stella successfully raised one eyebrow at the couple and then waved her hands toward the other room, ushering them to go ahead of her. She watched as Zac sat down in the recliner next to the couch and patted his knee for Vanessa to sit down on him.

When she did Zac immediately reached down toward the bandage on Vanessa's leg and rubbed his fingertips around the area. "Is it sore?" he wondered and looked into her face, full of concern.

"Of course it is silly. If you've got a broken wrist and you landed on top of me…I'm not going to come out of it completely unscathed!" She smacked his hand as it skimmed upward past her knee. "Ouch! Stop."

Stella sat down on the arm of Vanessa's couch, close enough to hear their entire conversation. "I'm ready, anytime now, really," she inched her face closer to Zac's and Vanessa's intentionally working to interrupt their thoughts.

"Stella!" Vanessa chastised.

"I want answers and you're not giving them to me." Stella opted not to pout. Instead she played the role of a frustrated, uninformed teenager. She placed her hands on either side of her, supporting herself on the padded arm of the furniture.

Vanessa sat up straight on Zac's lap and looked at him. She was careful not to lean back on his broken arm but allowed him to link his free hand with hers. "Hospital version or full blowout?" She asked with an unassuming look.

"Hmmm…" Zac considered. "She's 16 now," he shrugged with little care, "It'll come out eventually, I'm sure."

Stella threw her head back and growled at the two on the recliner. "Would you tell me already? We can sit here till I'm 18 for all I care, I just want answers!"

Her outburst caused Zac to snicker which in turn caused Vanessa to chuckle which in turn caused Stella to growl again. "Not going anywhere!" She practically barked at them.

Zac sighed to regain his composure. "I guess, give her the full version," he conceded.

Vanessa straightened her back again and looked at her sister. "Zac and I are getting back together," she began.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Ya don't say…I gathered that much, thank you."

"Smart Alec!" Vanessa shook her head. "Thursday Austin and I went to breakfast at Patys. When we walked in it was like old home week because Zac was sitting at our old table, having breakfast with Corbin. I'm not sure what hit me, other than the fact that I haven't seen either of them in months. So I went straight to them, hugged Corbs and kissed him on the cheek and when I turned around to kiss Zac…" she took in a breath and turned around to smile at the man behind her.

"I kinda took advantage of the situation," Zac supplied. "I gave her a kiss like I've wanted to give her for the past year." He looked down, knowing his voice was filled with the vulnerability that he had felt consuming him since their breakup.

Stella chuckled quietly. "Right there, in front of Austin, you kissed her? Like, on the lips, right in the middle of Patys, kissed her?" Her eyebrows raised as Zac moved his eyes up enough to look at Vanessa's little sister.

"Yeah," he grinned almost wickedly. "In front of Butler, on the lips, open-mouthed, tongue in cheek, kissed her! Wanna see a replay?" He bit his lip and began to move his face toward Vanessa's.

Stella put her hands up in temporary surrender, "No!" She had to stop and laugh, though, imagining the scene. "Didn't you guys traumatize me enough in my younger teen years?" She shivered at the idea of them kissing, right out in the open, in front of her younger self.

"Ok, so you kissed her, Austin sucker punched you; you fell and broke your arm. How am I doin'?" Stella began filling in incorrect details.

"Not exactly," Vanessa blinked her eyes a few times and looked down at their joined hands. "Actually, Austin was pretty shocked, as was I. Zac and I, we didn't say anything after the kiss…"

"After he kissed you, you mean?" Stella wondered.

Vanessa looked at Stella with a guilty but happy look. "After we kissed," she started, "Austin and I went to another table and sat down. I heard Corbin laughing and asking Zac 'what was that about?' and stuff. But Austin wouldn't even look at me."

"Well no sh-"

"Stella!" Vanessa stopped her.

"No, I just mean… Of course he wouldn't look at you. Could he tell that you were kissing back? Did you try to pull away from the kiss at all?" Stella slid over onto the couch, now far too interested in the story Vanessa was telling.

Vanessa squeezed Zac's knee hard enough to elicit an 'Ouch!' from him. "He ambushed me, Stellz. Completely surprise attack, I'm telling you."

"Don't walk up to a man's table after being apart for months and not expect a welcome greeting," Zac mumbled.

"Hush, you!" Vanessa turned around and looked at his little smirk.

"Ok, stop it. Now… What happened? Austin wouldn't look at you... did he talk to you over breakfast… did you come back home?" Stella leaned forward with her hands on her kneecaps waiting for further details.

Vanessa took a quick breath, "Well, we ate, sort of. At least I ate and kept looking over at Zac and Corbin. Austin just kept playing with his food and would glance up at me. I could tell he was beyond frustrated because when he finally did catch my eye I happened to glance back across the restaurant. He followed where I was looking right about the time that Zac blew me a kiss."

Her face blushed at the memory and Austin's verbal reaction that had made Vanessa feel like she was misbehaving in front of her own father.

"He waited for me to finish eating and then we left. When we got to the car he still wouldn't look at me. But before we pulled out of the parking lot he gripped the steering wheel really hard and said, 'We're done, aren't we?'" Vanessa's expression saddened as she remembered.

"I told him the kiss didn't mean anything," she looked apologetically toward Zac. "I know, it was a lie. But I had no clue... What else was I supposed to say?" She looked back at Stella and continued, "I told him Zac was just playing around and making a fool out of us in front of Corbin. Austin just shook his head and started driving. He was completely silent most of the way home. But I thought we were getting back on track when he started asking me about my next movie shoot. We changed topics completely and I thought we were really moving past it. He was going over his schedule and we got back here…it seemed like same old – same old." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well that's boring," Stella tossed in. She rolled her hand in front of her. "Get on with it. Something else had to happen." She looked around Vanessa at Zac who was rubbing his hand up and down Vanessa's arm. "Trouble maker," she shot toward the injured man.

Zac just let a lopsided smile form and winked at Vanessa's sister. "When Corbin and I left Patys he smacked me on the shoulder. Told me I hadn't been listening to a word he said since Vanessa and Austin walked in. And he was right." He looked at Stella and adjusted himself in the recliner so that he could wrap his arm more tightly around Vanessa.

"Have you ever prayed for something and then that very thing, that very thing you've asked for is right there in front of you, all of a sudden? And you know that you've gotta grab it. You've gotta take hold of it or you're gonna lose it – like that's your last chance and you can't miss the opportunity. Do you know what I mean?" Zac's face was so serious it made Stella almost laugh. She had seen his intensity, but in light of their current discussion she was anxious to hear his explanation.

Zac looked at his arm around Vanessa's waist, holding her in place with his hand resting on her thigh. "That's exactly what happened when you and Austin came through that door. I told Corbin I had prayed and dreamed about being somewhere and you just happened to show up. How would I handle it? In my dreams I just kiss you and take your hand and we walk out the door. That simple, you know?"

His eyes glazed over slightly and he raked his teeth over his lips. Vanessa ran her hand over his and maneuvered her fingers between his, watching their hands as she listened to his voice. Stella moved her eyes back and forth between the two of them, feeling a very familiar sense of love.

"So you kissed her but you didn't walk out with her…" Stella pushed for more.

"Yeah. But I told Corbin I couldn't just let her walk away. This time I couldn't do it. He asked me what I was gonna do? I told him I wasn't sure, except that I was gonna get you back." He smiled at Vanessa and stretched the fingers on his broken arm to touch her side.

"And?" Vanessa's sister's eyes were wide with anticipation.

"And," Vanessa took over, "A couple of hours later the doorbell rang. I was upstairs putting clothes away and Austin was in the kitchen. He went and opened the door and the next thing I know I heard Austin's voice getting loud and telling someone to leave. I came out of the bedroom and looked down and there he was, standing there with his hands on his hips almost yelling at Zac to get out," She laughed quietly. "It wasn't funny, I know, actually it scared the pee out of me."

She turned and looked at Zac, "You weren't even phased in the least. He's standing there yelling; I thought he was gonna punch you and you just stood there." She looked back at Stella with eyebrows knit together and a smile on her face. "He looked up at me and told me I didn't love Austin…"

"You love me," Zac interjected with a kiss to her neck. "It's me…and you…the way it was…the way it's gonna be."

"You had the nerve to just barge in here and take over?" Stella asked, causing Zac to stop his kissing barrage on Vanessa's neck and glance at her.

"Yeah," he answered simply before he moved a few strands of hair away from Vanessa's ear so he could clear the path for his lips.

Stella leaned back onto the couch and shook her head. "What took you so long?!" She asked with a hearty laugh.

"Stell-" Vanessa started to admonish her but was caught breathless when Zac's tongue snaked out and tasted her earlobe.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Zac Attack!" She raised her voice to get his attention. "The story's not done yet. Come on, focus, please?" She practically pleaded.

"Hmmmm," Zac sighed and leaned his head backwards stretching his neck.

Vanessa blinked a few times and then shivered, remembering where she was and who was there – and what they were doing. She blushed and grinned at her sister. She remembered the way the rest of the afternoon had played out.

ScenariosReconciled

"Zac, you can't just barge in here like you own the place. You don't own me," Vanessa stood at the top of the stairs while Austin stood seething at the bottom, next to Zac who appeared to be in a drug-induced state of calm.

"You're right, Ness, I don't own you. But I love you. You know I do. And you know you love me, too," Zac hadn't moved but watched Vanessa as she slowly started down the staircase.

"Efron, I don't know what you're trying to pull…" Austin grumbled and shook his head as he balled his hands into fists.

Zac looked back at Austin with a sympathetic look. "I'm not trying to pull anything, Austin. I'm sorry, but seeing you and Vanessa at Patys this morning…it just confirmed what I've known all along, what Vanessa knows. The love we had…we still have it. We're still in love with each other. Nothing's going to break it. I've walked away and I let her walk away but I can't do it anymore. I need Vanessa and if she's honest, she'll tell you that she needs me too. I'm sure you're a great guy and you've taken wonderful care of her over this past year. But, man, I'm done pretending. I need her," Zac looked toward Vanessa and held his hand out – a hand that once again wore the kuippo ring that she'd given him when they first declared their love for each other. "And you need me too, don't you? I love you, Vanessa. Only you."

Austin rolled his eyes. "Look, I don't doubt that you love her. Any sane man would. But you two split up. You walked away. And you didn't just walk away from her and stick around as a friend, but you've been completely out of her life for the last year. What makes you think you can just waltz back in here now? I love her too; I've been here for her, and you're absolutely right. I'm taking care of her and I will continue to."

Zac put his hands up to ward off an angry tirade from Austin. Vanessa had made her way down the stairs, just two or three steps away from the men. She was watching Zac carefully. He noted her eyes glued to him and a look that told him she was going to take his side in this verbal skirmish.

"I know. I know this last year has put us through the wringer," he started with just a shimmer in his eyes as he looked at her. "I'm happy – grateful even – that Nessa found you. And I'll say it again, I'm sorry. But I'm not going to stand around any longer watching this game of charades continue." Zac held his hand out toward Vanessa again. With barely a blink in Austin's direction she stepped cautiously toward Zac.

"Vanessa?" Austin's question was soft, following her as she moved away from him. "Tell him he's wrong. Tell him to leave…to get out of your life…our life."

Vanessa looked down at the floor beneath her before biting her lip and turning her head to look up at Austin with her guilty conscience on her sleeve.

"Tell him…"Austin attempted to instruct her. He reached toward her, begging her not to make the choice he could already see in her eyes.

"I…can't." She admitted simply and gently. Vanessa took a breath and stepped toward Austin. She put a hand on his cheek and pulled him down far enough to leave a kiss in the same warm spot that her hand had made.

She then stepped back and looked at the taller, blond-headed man. "I have known…" she began with tears in her eyes, "…my heart has told me over and over…that there would come a day when Zac would walk back into my life and tell me that it was time for us to get back together." She blinked her long eyelashes and let a few tear drops run down her cheeks.

"My mind kept telling me I was silly. But, you see, neither one of us ever really said we were 'through'. That's what all of our crazy fans held onto – and apparently that's what my heart held onto as well."

Vanessa backed up until she felt Zac's arms wrap around her waist to support her.

"I love you Austin and I know you love me. But I can't make Zac leave. He's playing out exactly what my heart has told me would happen. I do love him and I need him, too. I can't fight my heart. I hate hurting you…but my heart's in control right now. And I have to follow what it says." She leaned heavier against Zac and watched Austin melt into a defeated, forlorn man. "I'm sorry," she added with little hope of softening the blow.

Without another word and without even looking toward either of them, Austin walked past Zac and Vanessa to grab his keys. He walked through the house and slammed the door as he headed into the garage to his car.

Vanessa walked to the front window and waited to see the white four-door pull out of the garage. She held her breath as he got out of the vehicle and sat her garage door remote on the hood of Zac's car. Then he kicked the front tire on the Audi convertible and got back into his sedan. Vanessa put one hand on the front window and blinked sadly. Austin put his hands on the steering wheel and then laid his head down against his knuckles.

She waited for him to actually back out of the drive and head down the curvy roadway. Zac watched her from his same place at the base of the staircase. Even after Austin's car was gone Vanessa still stared out the window.

"He knew this was coming after the stuff at Patys this morning." She spoke with her back still turned toward Zac.

"Did you?" He wondered.

Vanessa looked over her shoulder toward his blue eyes. Her stomach churned slightly. This was all happening so quickly; was she really following her heart; and was that the right thing to do?

"When you kissed me this morning…when WE kissed…I knew something was going to change. I don't know what made me walk over to you guys. I – I would've just waved. But I wasn't even thinking. As soon as I saw you…and Corbin, of course…something just pulled me to you." She ran a hand through her hair, turned away from the window and faced Zac. With a shaky breath she shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't know what else to say.

Zac placed a hand against the bannister at the side of her staircase and gripped it for support. He held his other hand out, palm up just to help him illustrate his thoughts. "See? That's just it, Vanessa. I would've just hugged you, like Corbin did. Do you think I really wanted to embarrass Austin in the middle of a restaurant? I had no control when I kissed you. That force…that…whatever-it-is…that's what told me that enough was enough. This game we've been playing...avoiding each other…I quit. I'm not playing anymore. I can't avoid you anymore. I need to be with you and I need you with me. Do you get that?"

Vanessa nodded her chin slightly, understanding what he was saying. Her eyes were wide as she listened to him, trying to make sense of the moment and wondering what would happen next.

They stood staring at each other until Vanessa cleared her throat, trying to ease the dryness. She stepped toward Zac and chanced taking his hand, pulling him farther into her house toward the kitchen. Her hand was shaking as it held his for the first time in more than a year. Still she tugged on his fingers with the intent to grab a bottle of water and attempt to start a conversation about their future. But when they reached the dining room she stopped, dropping his hand as he stood next to the dining room table.

"What, Baby?" Zac asked her as she could only look into his eyes.

Vanessa raised her chin slightly. That's when he noticed the tears in her eyes.

"Tell me, Nessa, please. Talk to me, Baby. Whatever you're thinking, just tell me." He lifted his hand and placed it on her cheek.

Vanessa's immediate reaction was to suck in a remembering breath and close her eyes as his familiar touch ran through her entire body.

"Kiss me again?" she requested with eyelids covering her view.

Zac leaned against the edge of the table and pulled Vanessa between his knees before cupping her face in his hands and pressing his lips to hers. He placed several quick kisses against her mouth and smiled as she whispered "More…" between each gentle peck.

After a few seconds of re-familiarizing himself with her beautiful face, Zac pulled her toward him again, beginning a kiss like the one they had shared in the middle of the diner that morning.

Only this time he didn't pull back when he needed to catch his breath. With this kiss Vanessa showed her hunger for his touch and her willingness to let their reconciliation begin. She pushed him onto the table and used her feet and the support of his arms around her to try to lay them both back on the hard top. Zac moaned as he somehow figured out what she was doing and attempted to scoot himself toward the center of the furniture.

For leverage Vanessa pulled one of the chairs closer to them and leaned against it. Zac raised his eyebrows as they both began to realize what was going to happen. Without a word Vanessa pulled his t-shirt up and over his chest, waiting only a moment for Zac to raise his arms to allow her to remove part of his clothing. She threw the garment to the floor and gave only a sly grin as she stepped up on the decorative railing of the chair below the seat and let her hands rest on his chest.

When their lips joined again, both were completely lost in the other. And with the shift of one foot, the crash began. Before either knew what was happening the chair tipped and slid from under Vanessa's toes, scraping against her ankle, knocking her off-balance and toppling sideways. Not wanting to let the kiss end, but wanting to protect her, Zac tried to catch her but the weight of both of them on the edge of the walnut wood was enough to tip the heavy piece.

Another twist of their bodies sent them tumbling to the floor with the table behind them. Amid the comical chaos was a not-so-comical snapping sound as Zac's arm hit the floor below their bodies.

When everything was still, Zac grimaced and groaned as Vanessa moved away from him and stared - first at the table and chair that were lying on the floor, and then back at Zac who was in obvious pain.

"Oh my!" she sucked in a breath and noticed the angle of Zac's wrist against the hardwood.

"Crap!" he pressed through gritted teeth. "That hurts!" Zac held his breath as he gingerly tried to lift his arm off the floor. "I think it's broken. I heard something snap," his breath was shallow and voice clenched.

Vanessa nodded and covered her mouth with her hands. "I think you're right," she cringed. "I'm so sorry! Hang on, let me get…what do…let me get some ice at least. We're gonna have to go to the emergency room, Zac."

He closed his eyes and moved around until he could lie down completely on the floor. He did his best not to move the broken arm and slung his other forearm over his head.

For another second Vanessa watched his chest rise and fall quickly as he tried to breathe through the pain. "Don't move, okay? I'll be right back," she spoke softly and ran the backs of her knuckles over his cheek.

"Kiss it better…" Zac laughed and opened his eyes just enough to stop her from standing.

"What?" Vanessa laughed with him easily.

"Kiss it and make it better," Zac ordered hoarsely.

Vanessa shook her head but leaned over and kissed his misshapen forearm before leaning farther over and placing another kiss on his lips.

"See," Zac winced slightly, "getting better already," he declared.

Vanessa shook her head and stood to go find an ice pack. She also grabbed a towel from the laundry room to create a makeshift sling to hold his arm until they got to the e.r.

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"Holy…crap!" Stella shook her head while she looked back and forth between her blushing sister and a grinning Zac. She sat, imagining the scene, while Vanessa and Zac began whispering back and forth to each other.

"Well thank God it happened before you got any other clothes off, huh?" Stella added after a minute.

Zac snorted. "I don't even want to think about that…"

"And I'd appreciate it if you didn't either!" Vanessa pointed a finger in Stella's direction. All three of them shared a hearty laugh.

"So, wait, though…" Stella thought of something else. "What'd you tell them at the hospital?"

Vanessa gave a nonchalant shrug and creased her forehead. "We told them he fell off a chair. Not like we had to have paramedics take him out of the house, so they didn't need all the gory details."

Stella nodded her understanding. She couldn't help the laughter that kept building, at Zac's expense. He was adept at ignoring both women as they laughed together.

The laughter died down slightly, however, when Zac began sticking his tongue out and attempting to look at it with crossed eyes.

"What are you doing?" Vanessa finally asked and leaned back to get a better view.

"I must've bit my tongue when we fell, too. I asked the nurse to take a look at it. She said it didn't need stitches but it would take a bit to heal up."

Vanessa raised her chin and made Zac look down so she could see his injured mouth. "Yeah, I can kinda see teeth marks. You didn't mention that before. I guess a broken bone outweighs a bit tongue in the medical world. Looks like you did a pretty good number there, too, though. You can't just do something halfway, can you, Boo?"

Zac shook his head and smiled at her. "You wanna kiss that and make it better too?" He cocked his eyebrows and watched Vanessa roll her eyes at him.

Stella watched the two of them and admired their playfulness. She had glimpsed Zac's tongue while Vanessa was examining it and suddenly something occurred to her.

"Hey, Zac Attack, stick your tongue out again," she requested.

Zac did as she asked, only he made it more of a teasing act than a necessary inspection.

"Nice, funny guy. Really nice. Now seriously, show me your tongue again, the part that was bit."

Zac hesitantly opened his mouth for Stella to look at that injury. Vanessa's sister squinted her eyes together and then grinned a sideways smirk.

Zac closed his mouth and watched her. "What's that look for?"

Stella rolled her thought around in her head before answering. "Did the nurse say anything else about your bite marks on there?" She wondered curiously.

Zac shook his head, "Not that I can remember. I just showed it to her and she said there were obvious teeth marks. She made me wash my mouth with an antiseptic wash and said to keep an eye on it. Apparently teeth germs can be pretty nasty." He raised his eyebrows and looked back and forth between Stella and Vanessa.

"Yeah," Stella chuckled, "Especially when they aren't your germs," she halfway mumbled.

"What?" Vanessa shot back with a confused smile.

"Zac didn't bite his own tongue," Stella said matter-of-factly.

"What makes you say that?" Zac asked casually as he began sticking his tongue out again and trying to look at it.

Stella raised her eyebrows, shook her head and rolled her eyes. "The teeth marks are going the wrong way, genius. Vanessa probably bit your tongue as you guys fell."

Zac quickly pulled his tongue back into his mouth and covered his lips with his good hand.

Vanessa's eyes opened wide at the thought and replayed the table calamity again. She scrunched her nose and looked at Zac with guilt written across her features. "She's probably right," Vanessa smiled apologetically.

He took Vanessa's chin in his fingers and prodded her to open her mouth for him to examine her teeth. He glanced at Stella and then back into Vanessa's mouth before he leaned forward and gently bit on her lower lip.

"Ouch!" Vanessa jerked back, feeling his teeth lightly graze the inside of her lip. "Zachary!"

Stella gasped and stood up. "I'm outta here. I don't wanna be privy to any other sex-related injuries the two of you can possibly cause each other."

"Hey!" Vanessa objected.

"We're even now. Let her go," Zac waved his hand toward Stella, shooing her toward the door. "Unless she wants to help you take care of me," he grinned and wagged his eyebrows.

Vanessa laughed at him and at the disgusted look on Stella's face.

"Besides," Zac added, "I'd really prefer to have you and your tooth germs all to myself for a while if I may," he smiled.

Vanessa climbed out of his lap and helped release the foot rest on the recliner before she pointed a lovely, manicured fingernail toward him. "You, stay put," she ordered then turned toward Stella. "You, don't mention this to anybody yet – especially not Ashley or Mom!"

Stella let out a slightly frustrated sigh.

"See, I know you little sister. You've been sitting here devising a plan to tell everyone that Zac and I are back together," Vanessa declared.

Stella sighed again. "So I can't tell anyone?"

Vanessa shook her head and the two of them began walking toward the door. "No, please," Vanessa asked seriously. "I really want to try to talk to Austin before this gets out."

Stella heard the change in her sister's voice. The tone told her that a deep part of Vanessa truly hurt for the pain she had brought Austin. And a bit of her heart wanted to somehow make it better for him.

"But, Ness?" Stella looked eye to eye with her big sister. "You and Zac…this is what you want? Honestly?"

Vanessa glanced back toward the living room at the man lying in her recliner with his bandaged arm resting against his abdomen. She gave a strong nod and turned her face toward Stella. "More than anything."

Stella smiled and hugged her sister. As Vanessa stood beside her Stella turned around to look at Zac.

"Hey Zac!" she raised her voice to get his attention. When he looked toward her she smiled at him. "Take care of that arm - and take care of my sister! Welcome back."

"Love you, Stella Bella!" he smiled and laid his head back against the cushioned chair.

Vanessa laughed with her sister and closed the door behind Stella. As she watched her sister drive away, she smiled to herself and then looked back at Zac. She took a deep breath and felt a calm sense of peace move from her head to her toes. This is right.

She never took her eyes off of him as she moved back into the living room. As gently as she could she sat on the arm of the recliner and placed her arm around Zac's neck. He opened his eyes just to see what she was doing and wrapped his uninjured arm around her body. With an easy tug and a slight adjustment he pulled her into the chair beside him and worked to make them both comfortable.

When they stopped moving Zac noticed Vanessa giggling quietly.

"What's so funny?" He whispered and gleamed at her happy face.

"I think I'm just…giddy," she nibbled her bottom lip and grinned.

"Giddy? Is that so?" Zac watched her nod. "How come?"

Vanessa landed a gentle kiss on his lips and then one on his cheek. "Because you love me. Broken wrist, bit tongue...even broken hearts... They're all gonna heal because I love you and you love me."

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