Hearts

Chapter Three

"Dad? Where's Mom at?"

Gabriel came downstairs and sat next to Taylor on the couch.

"She said she would text me, but I don't know buddy."

Taylor sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and massaging his temples. Over an hour had passed since she had left, and dinner was already finished. The kids had already had their food for the night, but Taylor decided not to eat. Gaga's plate was laying on the counter, by itself, once again. This was the one night they had together, and it was ruined. Again.

"I thought she was gonna' be back for dinner, Dad. It was gonna' be really nice to finally sit with her."

Gabriel let out a huge sigh and leaned back on the couch. Taylor cleared his throat and thought of something to cheer his son up. He was very tired, and his vision was starting to blur.

"She's a tough girl. You really think anything's going to hurt her? She has a gun."

Little did he know, it was about to be pointed at her head in the parking lot.

"You're right," Gabriel sighed once again.

"You should go on to bed, Gabe. Get some rest. She'll be here soon, and I can try and wake you up if you'd like."

Gabriel nodded and stood up. As he walked toward the staircase, he turned back to Taylor.

"I'm just really worried about her. Something doesn't feel right. Goodnight, Dad."

Gabriel shrugged and continued up the stairs. Taylor sprawled out on the couch.

He pulled out his phone and tried to call her one more time. It rang and rang, but nobody answered. He called again.

"Hello? Taylor?"

He could tell Gaga was a bit panicked.

"Stefani, are you okay? Where are you?"

She put her hand over her mouth as she cried.

"Stef?"

"Please come outside to the parking lot," she whispered, tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. Taylor jumped up and grabbed the knife he traded Gaga the gun for. He ran downstairs instead of taking the elevator, just in case. As he ran outside, he realized he was still holding the knife out in the open. Everyone began to yell, as they knew who had just ran out of the door.

With a knife.

One girl yelled, "He's gonna' kill us!" and began to run.

"It's not for you, my wife's in danger!"

He kept running. Taylor ran to the car, and inside was a tiny woman, curled up in the driver's seat with her head on the steering wheel. She was sobbing.

"Stef!"

He picked her up like an infant and held her like one.

"There was a man," she cried, pointing over Taylor's shoulder. He turned around to look. There wasn't a person in sight. It was late.

Gaga was trembling and crying, but she managed to hand Taylor the gun.

"He's behind you," she cried, trying to be quiet but failing.

Taylor woke up on the couch.

"Nightmares," he growled, rolling off of the seat and putting his feet first on the ground.

Gaga opened the door and walked in.

"I've got it taken care of."

She slammed the door and threw her purse down.

"Sorry I was gone so long, I had to call some people. There was another note outside, Tay," she sighed and kicked her bag over to the side.

"We've gotta' move, I can't stand this. Are you alright?"

Gaga nodded and walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm fine I guess. I cracked my phone screen and took it to the shop," she grinned as she grabbed one of their plates and stuck it in the microwave.

"How'd you do that babe?"

Taylor let out a small laugh. He was relieved and overjoyed to see her alive.

"I saw that note with a rock over it and I just let go of the darned thing," she laughed.

"Cheap shot," Taylor teased and went into the kitchen.

"There wasn't anyone there, and I didn't aim it at someone."

Gaga rolled her eyes and pulled Taylor's plate out of the microwave.

"If I would've known, I could've swapped you my phone instead of that gun."

Gaga punched him in the arm.

"Take your food."

"Oh alright," he grinned, taking his food and heading to the table.

"I may have lost our pictures, Tay. It's not that funny," she shook her head and grabbed her plate.

"I'm sorry, just trying to cheer you up. Did you figure out what that first note said?"

"Taylor, I dropped my phone in the middle of the conversation, of course not."

After heating her food up, she sat down in front of Taylor.

"I've seen crazy things, but nothing like this. I mean it didn't seem too creepy until David showed up and made it seem like a big deal," she sighed.

"There was even a note talking about the kids, and how the sick," she cursed, "wanted to live in the house with them. If I find this guy, I'm going to blast his brains out," Gaga said before slamming a fist on the table.

"I don't think that would make a good headline, babe. 'Gaga goes Gaga' seems a little more than I'd like to handle."

She was quiet for a second. Then she began to laugh.

"I guess you're right. Maybe it's not as glamorous as it sounds."

Taylor grinned.

"I've already seen your mugshot," he said with a mouth full of food.

They talked and laughed for a while, trying to catch up as much as possible. Taylor was out for the next season of Chicago Fire, so he had been a stay-at-home dad for a some time already. Gaga and Taylor once made the decision over the phone to send Sophia and Gabriel to a private school, but they didn't seem to fit in. The change was rough for everyone. Luckily, since the school year was almost over, the next morning Gaga decided to pull them out and try homeschooling them. How that was going to work, they didn't know. At least they would get to travel with their mom a while as they adapted to their new 'home away from home' lifestyle. They needed to move anyways.

"Good morning babies!"

Gaga went into the hall upstairs to wake her children up.

"Morning," Gabriel yawned.

He walked over and gave Gaga a hug.

"I found this in my room this morning," he said, rubbing his eyes and scratching his arm after. It was a letter.

Good morning Gabe! I hope you slept well. You look so adorable when you do.

"That was really nice of you, that heart's pretty cute too."

He handed it over to Gaga and went downstairs for breakfast. She ran into Gabriel's room to look around, but there was nobody. It was very quiet, and there was no trace anyone had been in there. His room was spotless. As soon as Gaga turned around, there was a man's figure standing in the doorway. She panicked.
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