Forevermore- A Jaylor Fanfic

Chapter 2

Taylor texts Joe on their walk back and warns him and says that she's sorry. She said that she'd explain when she got home and that he just need to stay calm because it's a very delicate situation.

"Okay guys," taylor says to Elenna,who sits on her lap hugging her tightly, and Felix who sits leaning on her arm, "I have a boyfriend, who lives at my house, his name is Joe. He is very nice, but talks kinda funny."
"Is he gonna hurt us?" The little girl looks up at Taylor with sad blue eyes.
"No. No. He would never."
"Is your house warm?" Felix asks.
"Very warm and we have lots of food in case you are hungry."
"We haven't eaten in a little bit." Elenna says.
"When was the last time someone fed you?"
"I don't remember." Felix says.

"How old are you two?" Taylor asks.
"I am this many!" Elenna say and holds up four fingers.
"I'm six." Felix says quietly.

"Okay. Well we're here. Do you want to go inside?" Taylor asks.
"Yes please." They both say.

-

Taylor carries El the whole way up with anxiety bubbling. She puts El down to unlock the door. She opens the door to see a worried Joe.

"Hey." She says.
"Is ever-"he is interrupted by Taylor's hand signaling him to stop talking.
"Come in you two."

They both watch as the two kids holding hands walk inside.

"Woah Miss. Taylor! This place is big!" Elenna said.
"I'm glad you like it," Taylor says not breaking eye contact with Joe, "This is Joe."

"Hello Mr. Joe. I'm Elenna and this is Felix, my big brother!"
"Hello Elenna and hello Felix." He says with a smile. He clearly picked up on what was going on.

"Why don't we go to the kitchen and make a snack?" Taylor says.

"Please! Please!" Elenna says.
"Yes, Miss Taylor. Please." Felix says.

"Okay follow Joe." She says and Joe turns around.

They get to the kitchen and Joe cuts up some fruit and Taylor makes them sandwiches. The kids are sitting patiently at the bar watching the two blondes.

"Mr. Joe?" Elenna calls.
"Yes Miss El?"
"Why do you talk so funny?" She asks.
Joe chuckles as he hands them the plates of fruit.
"Because I'm from a different part of the world." He tries to explain.
"Oh."

Taylor hands them the sandwiches and drags Joe away to the hallway to talk while the kids eat.

"Hi," she whispers cautiously.
"So, you went on a walk, yes?" He asks.
She nods.
"Taylor. There are two kids in our kitchen."
"Okay look. I was about to start crying think about the fight when I heard their little voices coming from the woods."
"Are they lost? Where are their parents?"
"They don't have any." She mumbles.
"God Tay. Where did you go?"
"On my walk. And into the woods."
"Where did they come from?" He mumbles.

"Miss Taylor!" Felix calls.

"I'll explain later. Joe, they need someone to take care of them. They don't have any one."
"Go Miss Taylor." He says and kissed her forehead.
"I love you." She mumbles and sighs in relief.
"I love you too." He says.

She walks back into the kitchen thankful that Joe is so accepting of this.

"Hey you two." She says.
"We finished." Elenna states.
"Yeah? That was fast."
"Uh huh."
Joe approaches Taylor from behind and places his hand on her waist.
"They're dirty Taylor. They need a bath." He whispers. She nods.

"Would you guys want to take a bath?" Taylor asks them.
"Really?" Elenna's face lights up.
"Yeah! Come on. Joe, you can take Felix to our bathroom and I can take Elenna to the guest."
"Hooray!!!!" Elenna says excitedly she tries to slide down the chair to get off, but fails miserably and looks desperately at Taylor and Joe who are laughing at her.

Joe walks over and picks her up then takes her to Taylor who is still laughing at the child. She holds Elenna and takes her up the stairs.

"Okay El. Whatcha want? Bubbles?" She asks as she walks up stairs with the child in her hip.

"You ready to go upstairs bud?" He asks Felix. The boy nods, not saying much.

"Cmon." Joe says and takes Felix's hand.

As the boys get up to Taylor and Joes bathroom, Taylor had already ran Elenna's bath and was starting to get her undressed.

"Okay El, let me know if you're uncomfortable okay?" Taylor says.
"Okay Tay Tay." She giggles at the nickname and Taylor smiles.

Taylor starts to untie the girls dirty shoe and notices the holes. The other shoe didn't even have a lace. She didn't have socks on. She takes her leggings off and looks at the bruising and scars on her legs. The same when her top came off. Covered with bruises.

"You wanna get in?" Taylor asks.
"You won't hurt me right?" The girl asks in a small voice.
"No baby. Never. Okay? I'll never hurt you." Taylor says, "Would you wanna talk about who hurts you?"
She shakes her head.
"No? Can you tell me what they did?"
"He- he hit me. And sometimes he- he-" her eyes start to tear up and taylor holds her hand trying to get her to keep going.
"He held my head under water and he rubbed my body and he made me uncom- uncomf-"
"Uncomfortable?" Taylor helps her finish her sentence.
"Uh huh." She cries.

"Come here baby girl." Taylor pulls Elenna into her arms.
"You're safe now. No one will ever hurt you again."
"Promise?" She mumbles into Taylor neck.
"I promise El. I will never let anyone hurt you."
She nods.
"Now let's get you in the bath."
Taylor picks the girl up and places her in the warm water.

"Okay. Do you wanna smell like roses or coconuts?"
"Roses," she says quietly."
Taylor nods and gently washes the girls hair.
"Hold your head back so I can rinse. Cover your pretty eyes!"
"Your hair is so blonde El."
"I know. It gets like that when they let me wash it!" She says with a cute smile.
"Do you wanna wash your body?"
She nods. Taylor gives her a wash cloth and puts some soap on it.

"What orphanage do you live at?" Taylor asks the girl.
"I don't wanna tell."
"Why not?"
"Because you'll send me back."
"No, no. Never."
"Promise?"
"Yeah baby, I promise."

She thinks for a little.
"Miss Carol's Orphanage."
"Okay. How would you feel about Joe and me taking care of you for a little bit?" Taylor asks.
"For how long?"
"I don't know yet. We will see."
"Forever?" She looks at Taylor with very hopeful eyes.
"Maybe." Taylor said brushing over her head.
"Thank you for saving us." Elenna says.
"You're very welcome sweet girl. Let's get out and go see what Joe and Felix are up to.

Joe and Felix had a talk about similar things that the girls did. How he and his sister were hit, and the only bath they ever took was once a week when they got hosed down with the garden hose.

"Joe," the boy says as he got out of the tub, "have you ever loved someone so much that you always want to protect them?"

Joe thinks about Taylor immediately, "yeah bud, why?"
"Because I love Elenna so much that I wanted to protect her by running away. And I feel like it was the wrong thing to do."

"No buddy, that was a very brave thing to do and it worked out for the better." Joe says and hands the boy a shirt to put on for now.

"Yeah but what if Miss Taylor never found us?" He mumbles.
"Let's not think about that. Let's think about how lucky you are that Taylor did find you." Joe says, hoping he looks at the bright side.

"Thank you for helping us," he mumbles.
"You're welcome Felix. Let's go find the girls."
Felix nods.