One Chance: a Ted Sweeran fanfic

Ch 25

Ed's POV

A week had passed after the incident, but Taylor and I had barely spoken to each other. We had hired personal security to survey our building around the clock, and we had an extra security system put into our flat. I could tell that Taylor was still shaken up from what she had seen at Cara's place. I still hadn't told Taylor about my incident at the bar-and who I had figured out to be the puppet master in all these sick games we had been forced to play.

This person had broken Taylor-I could tell in the damaged way she held herself like a beaten puppy who had been kicked one too many times. The only problem was this news would be yet another blow to Taylor-and I didn't know if she would be able to take it.

I had figured the best time to do it would be when she was calm and had privacy; somewhere without cameras and people and just the two things she loved best. That's why we were going to the recording studio to record a duet we had written a couple of days before The Incident with Harry.

Also in the spirit of things, since I had no idea how I was going to actually tell Taylor what I had to say, I had written a song about it. Yeah, maybe I was a coward, but this was how I communicated to people, so why not use it now?

"You ready?" I asked as Taylor began putting her coat on.

She inhaled slowly then exhaled, her face  portraying the inner peace she was finally experiencing. At least, that was what I was hoping. How was I ever supposed to know it was only the temporary calm before the storm.

George drove us to the studio where we then had to push past hordes of paps to get to the front door.

"Hey Ed! You wanna punch us to?" one especially sleazy camera man yelled, to which a sound of obnoxious pigs erupted as the other paps began laughing.

The only thing that kept me from punching them was Taylor's scared face and her whispers that everything would be all right if I kept her next to me. It seemed like forever till we got to the door, but security finally broke through the swarms and got us in. As the door finally slammed in their faces, I felt like I could breathe again, and I knew Taylor felt the same.

She turned to me and gave me a kiss, then pulling away whispered "My hero," in her cute almost seductive way.

I almost cringed thinking how in a few minutes she might never think that again.

We got into the studio and did some sound checks and vocal warm ups before starting the session. I knew I needed to tell her sooner than later: the nerves were tightening my throat and I wondered if I waited too long if I would be able to say anything at all.

I turned to Taylor and asked her if I could sing her the song I had written for this.

"Of course! I can't wait to hear what my music genius came up with this time!" she gushed.

I had to force a smile as I slowly picked up the guitar. I turned to the people in the booth and asked them if they could leave for a moment.

"Just so Taylor is the first one to hear it if you don't mind." They all confusedly nodded as they backed out of the room, leaving me and Taylor alone.

I inhaled slowly then exhaled even slower. I tried to concentrate on the normal almost comforting motion of my hands strumming the guitar strings.

"This one is a little different from the others. Just try to concentrate on the lyrics, they're um, they're kinda based on a true story."

I didn't even bother to look at Taylor as I began singing the song. I could almost feel her muscles tense and her eyes well up with tears as I sang about the one she loved who betrayed her. About the red head she had given so much love to who had only turned and stabbed her in the back.

When I finished the song we were engulfed in such overwhelming silence. Taylor had buried her head in her hands as she slowly sunk into that despair I had tried to pull her up from-only to submerge her back into it. None of us uttered a single word for awhile. After all, what was there to say?

Finally there was a break in Taylor's sobs and she slowly lifted her head and looked me in the eyes. I was surprised what I saw in those beautiful blue eyes: not brokenness and fear, but anger. It was as if in that moment her dainty heart was no longer the broken crumbled up thing it had been for the past few months, but had been replaced with a heart of steel which wanted revenge. And for the first time I was actually afraid.

Taylor abruptly stood up and took my guitar and crashed it against the wall. "How could...I trusted...Why does this always happen to me?" she screamed. "I give so many people my love and not even one person can turn out to be the loyal, honest person I want them to be? Are you sure it has to be her?"

I reluctantly nodded my head, mournful at the loss of my happy wife and my favorite guitar.

"I mean how can you know for certain?"

"She was the only one who besides your family that knew we were going to Nashville-the only person who could have alerted the paps at the airport. She is really the only one who knows exactly where we all are going to be because you always tell her-and the only person with a key to our high security flat-that's why there are never signs of a break in....I could go on, but-"

Taylor raised her hand to cut me off, then slowly backed out of the room. "You know what, I know what this is. You can't believe that your best friend tried to kill you and is leaving all these threats that you're trying to pin it on my best friend. This is unbelievable! Abigail would never do that!"

"Taylor, I'm sorry I know it's awful realizing you're best mate did this, but Harry's in jail! There's no way he can be sending these notes!" I stood up and lightly grabbed her. "Taylor please listen, Abigail's dangerous and I can't let you get hurt," I pleaded, but it was clear she didn't want to hear it.

"Just-don't call me or try to reach me for awhile-all of you sick people who think this is some kind of a joke. Just leave me alone-I got to go." Taylor stumbled out of the recording studio and I just let her go. There would be no point in chasing down a girl who hated me for telling her the truth about her best friend.

"Oh Abigail," I muttered as I sank my head into my hands, "what have you done?"