Octagon Project 3: Zachary McHall

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"Short brown hair doesn't actually look that bad on you." Mel complemented as she got out of bed and began to rummage around in her bag for the more colorful shirt than the black one she'd been wearing the past three days. Zack glanced at her over his shoulder from where he was sitting on the endge of the bed. Like usual, he didn't sleep. Surprisingly enough though, Mel was out cold all night long.

"I don't see why we're doing this." Zack sighed, standing up and throwing on his leather jacket.

"Because no one else will." Mel countered, pulling the white T-shirt on over her torso and zipping up her bag.

"You don't know that." Zack countered.

"How many more families do you think will be destroyed if we don't?" Mel then asked, staring up at him with fierce eyes. Zack's jaw ticked as he clenched his teeth. "I won't be lying around when I know that's happening."

"So you actually care?" Zack asked blankly as Mel tossed her bag onto the bed and tied her jacket around her waist. She froze at Zack's question. "A year ago, I asked you if you missed Kaylee and you answered with: not at all." Sighing, Mel walked into the bathroom to make sure that she cleaned everything up.

"That's because I knew I wasn't going to be the same person she remembered if I ever met her again."

"So do you think that you were the same person she remembered when you came home from being kidnapped and tortured by Steele?" Zack asked. "All she ever wanted was to be able to talk to you and share a part of herself with you." Mel shot him a dark look.

"After doing everything I've done, do you seriously think I want to be anywhere near Kaylee while knowing what I'm capable of?!" She cried. "God, Zack! You wouldn't understand, so just... just stop."

"Don't understand? Mel, you had family that wanted to be there for you after everything! But you just pushed them away because you were afraid! And I know that you weren't afraid of what you'd do to them."

"Shut up." Mel hissed between clenched teeth.

"You were afraid of what you would do to yourself if you allowed yourself to be vulnerable." Zack finished. Mel was silent as she glared menacingly at him. "I'm right, aren't I?" He then asked despite already knowing the answer.

"No. You're wrong." She said bluntly, packing some of the snacks from the fridge into her bag. "And you've never had a real family, so you don't get it. Now leave it be."

"That's where you're wrong." Zack grumbled, causing Mel to glance up at him and smirk.

"What? You actually consider Andrew McHall and Alyssa family?" She shook her head. "Deep. Real deep Zack."

"I'm a missing child case!" Zack cried, making Mel freeze.

"What?" Mel asked, her voice almost cracking as she stared at him with large eyes. Zack released a heavy breath and rubbed the back of his neck.

"My name was Zachary Kai Leviathan. I was introduced to the agency when I was six years old as a test subject to see how diligent an agent would be if they grew up in the agency rather than being kidnapped as a teenager."

"And your other family?" Mel asked, suddenly feeling a tightening in her chest.

"I had two older brothers. One died in the military when I was twelve and the other just kinda disappeared off the face of the earth. My mom was receiving care for bone cancer by the time I was taken, so I don't know how either she or my dad is, let alone where they are."

"I didn't know." Mel said quietly.

"Yeah, sometimes I forget too." He sighed, standing straighter. "But maybe that's why I hate it when I see other people shoving their family aside." Grumbling under her breath, Mel tossed her bag onto her shoulders and began to make her way out the door before Zack grabbed her arm and pulled her close as he planted his lips onto hers. "Please just know that I love you." He said quietly.