Wildest Dreams - A Taylor Swift Adoption Fanfiction

Chapter 26: Getaway Car

Author's note: Don't search for logic in this please I just had a vision for the drama. I  also wrote this at 3AM so plz be gentle haha I feel like how Hamilton felt writing his essays NEVER IN MY LIFE have I been able to write a fanfic so fast lmao

I'm sprawled on the couch reading when Tree bursts into the apartment like a tornado in designer heels. Her face is doing that thing, that specific expression that means someone's about to have their entire life ruined.

"Where's your mother?" she demands, juggling more phones than usual.

"Studio," I say, instantly alert. Tree's panic is contagious. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lies badly, already speed-walking toward Taylor's studio.

"Bullshit." I follow her, anxiety climbing. "What happened?"

Tree stops so suddenly I almost crash into her. She turns, and there's something fierce in her eyes - protective and angry all at once.

"Joe's doing an interview," she says finally, like each word hurts. It does. "A tell all. Someone bailed him out and paid him good money to tell his side of the story."

My whole body goes cold. "About mom?"

"About everything." Tree's hands clench around her phones. "Including... he mentioned you."

I hear ringing in my ears and feel my chest getting tight. "What... what did he..."

"Nothing yet," Tree says quickly. "The interview is scheduled for tomorrow. But the promos..."

She holds up one of her phones. There's Joe, looking smug and British and punchable as ever: "The truth about Taylor Swift's secret adoption... the real reason behind our breakup..."

"I'm going to be sick," I whisper.

Tree's hand hovers near my shoulder, not quite touching. She knows my triggers by now. "We're handling it. I've got our legal team..."

"Does mom know?"

Tree's hesitation is answer enough.

"Shit." I run my hands through my hair, pacing now. "Shit shit shit. She's been doing so well, she's been happy, she's been-"

"I know." Tree's voice cracks slightly. "That's why I need to..."

But then we hear it - Taylor's phone ringing in her studio. The specific ringtone she uses for industry calls.

Tree and I both freeze.

"Do you think..." I start, but then we hear Taylor's sharp intake of breath from the other room. Then silence.

"Mom?" I call out, but the studio stays silent. That's worse somehow - Taylor's never silent.

Tree moves first, practically running to the studio with me right behind her. We find Taylor standing perfectly still, phone dangling from her hand, staring at her computer screen.

The promo clip is playing. Joe's voice fills the room: "The real Taylor Swift... what she's hiding from the public... the truth about her new daughter's crimes..."

"Turn it off," I whisper, but I can't move. I can't even breathe.

Taylor's hand shoots out suddenly, slamming her laptop closed with enough force to make us jump. When she turns, her face is terrifying - not angry exactly, but something worse. Something cold and hard that I've never seen before.

"Tree," she says, her voice deadly calm. "Get me everything."

"Already on it." Tree's typing frantically. "I've got teams-"