Those 7 years: Missing One Shot Chapter

24 Travis's POV

The sunlight filtered through the windows, and the house felt alive again. Taylor had been feeling better, slowly getting back to her usual self, and Leo was bouncing with energy. We'd spent the last few days taking it easy, settling back into some kind of normalcy, but today, I figured it was time for us to get out of the house.

I watched as Taylor stood in front of the mirror, carefully adjusting the mask over her face. Leo, meanwhile, was at her feet, excitedly pulling on his own mask, a kid-sized one with cartoon cars on it. His bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement.

"You ready to go, buddy?" I asked, leaning down to his level.

"Ready!" Leo said, his voice muffled by the mask, but his excitement was clear as day. His little body wiggled as he jumped up and down.

I smiled at them, taking in the sight of my two favorite people getting ready for our first real outing together. It wasn't anything big—just a trip to the children's museum in Kansas City. But after everything that had happened, it felt like a monumental step. A day of fun and distraction.

"You good?" I asked Taylor, stepping up behind her and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She glanced at me in the mirror, her eyes soft but a little anxious. "Yeah... I think so."

I could hear the nerves in her voice, but I gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll take it easy. If it gets to be too much, we come right back home. No pressure."

She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay."

With that, we headed downstairs and out the front door. I could already feel the change in the air as soon as we stepped outside. The peace of being home suddenly felt distant as I noticed a few people lingering near the street.

I should've known.

The second Taylor had been found, it was only a matter of time before the media and paparazzi caught wind of it. It was a miracle we'd had a few days of peace at all, but I knew it wouldn't last. Not when Taylor Swift—the biggest name in music—had suddenly reappeared after years of being presumed dead.

As soon as we made it to the driveway, cameras flashed, and voices rose in the distance. Paparazzi, hanging just at the edge of the property line, shouting questions, snapping pictures. My gut tightened as I put my hand on Leo's back, guiding him toward the car.

"It's okay," I muttered softly to Taylor. "We'll just get in the car and go. Ignore them."

She didn't say anything, but I could see the tension building in her eyes. I opened the passenger door for her and she slipped inside, her movements a little stiff, her fingers trembling as she buckled her seatbelt.

I quickly buckled Leo into his car seat in the back, making sure his mask was snug before I climbed into the driver's seat. The moment the door closed, I exhaled, trying to block out the flashes from the cameras and the noise of the paparazzi shouting questions from the street.

The second I turned on the engine, we were off, pulling out of the driveway and onto the road. But even then, I could see the swarm of cars following us. They were relentless, and my hands tightened on the wheel as I navigated the streets.

"Travis, they're following us," Taylor whispered, her voice shaky.

"I know. Just ignore them. We'll be fine."

I kept my focus on the road, trying to keep calm for both of them. Leo was in the back, babbling about how excited he was to see the museum, completely oblivious to the stress in the car. But I could feel Taylor next to me, her body tensing more with every passing minute.