Protecting Taylor

Chapter 46

When I awoke a rush of excitement pulled me out of bed. It was eight in the morning and I wondered if everyone was up yet and my question was answered by the voices in the hallway.
"I'm going to wake her up!" Taylor said excitedly.
"Let her sleep, she'll be up soon." Adam spoke.
I opened the door and smirked at them.
"Merry Christmas!" Taylor cheered and hugged me tightly.
"Merry Christmas." Adam said with less enthusiasm as Taylor, but still will happiness nonetheless.
"Quit hugging her and get down here!" Austin called up the stairs.
"He always get impatient over opening presents." Taylor laughs and grabbed my hand to lead me down stairs.
Presents lie under the tree and stretch out far from the actual base. I knew Christmas was a time of gift giving, but didn't realize just how many gift were to be given. I suspected most Christmases didn't look as lavish as this one however, Taylor has a lot more money than most.
"Taylor are you passing out presents?" Andrea asked.
"Yes!" She cheered and began distributing the gifts all around the room.
My gifts were piling up around me and I felt bad that I only had one gift for each person. For Andrea, I had a paw print pillow that said "Kitty" on it for her dog. She loved it and thanked me multiple times. I got Scott a "Dad of the Year" mug after a joke he made about not knowing where his award is for being Taylor Swift's dad. If I had a nice dad like Scott, I would assume all dads were as kind and lighthearted as him. I got Adam a little stuffed cat that was holding a British flag. He loved it because of his connection with Taylor's cats and his own cats. Austin's gift was a picture of the two of us on the Fourth of July. We were holding sparklers out on the lawn and grinning at the camera as Ed snapped a photo of us.
Austin studied the simple photos for far longer than necessary to interpret it's meaning, but when he looked up at me with a broken smile I understood it was more than just a picture at this point.
"Thanks, Alex." He said.
"You're welcome." I smiled slightly.
Taylor was the last to open her gift from me.
"I'm excited about this!" She smiles before peeling the paper back.
"Oh, Alex." She gasps softly as she examines the photo album I made titled, "Thanks For Everything." At the top and "Love, Alex" at the bottom.
I had Andrea's help putting this together; she was good at that kind of stuff.
She began turning the pages and smiled at each picture she saw.
"Sorry guys but this is my favorite present ever!" Taylor exclaimed as she was in awe of the documentation of our lives over the past months.
It included pictures from the tour, the houses, parties, shopping, holidays, and all the other events that happened no matter how eventful it was.
"This is so perfect." She said and wrapped me up in a hug.
"Thank you so much! I absolutely love it!" She says.
"I'm glad. Your mom helped me with it." I said.
"It was all her idea, Taylor." Andrea said with sentiment in her voice.
"It's so perfect. I'm literally going to love this forever."
I smiled at her satisfaction with the gift I worked hard to create for her.
"Okay, do you want to open your presents, Alex? We usually let the youngest go first." Scott says.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, go ahead." Andrea encouraged.
I feel overwhelmed by the amount of packages and grab one to begin the process of opening presents.
I unwrap a lot of clothes that I'll never be able to wear after I'm taken back. Everything I unwrapped I was certain I'd never be able to put to use. I think they knew that, but it was too late to know once I broke the news.
"Um, I know that you won't be able to really have all of this stuff once you leave, so I got you this." Taylor said handing me over a small box.
"I love it all, thank you." I said taking the box into my hands.
I unwrapped the sparking red paper and took the little lid off of the top. It was a necklace that had a heart charm on it. The necklace was very delicate looking with an S engraved on it. I assumed it was for Swift.
"You can open it, it's a locket." Taylor prompts.
I wedge my nail between the two hearts and look inside to see a tiny picture of Meredith and Olivia on one side and Scott, Andrea, Austin, Taylor, and me on Thanksgiving in the other small heart.
"This is beautiful." I say and my eyes meet Taylor's as melancholy settles into the room.
"I love it, thank you. I should be able to wear when I leave." I said.
I wasn't sure if they would let me keep it, but it was so special. It would be like having a small piece of this live I've lived with myself everyday.
I hugged Taylor and she offered to help me put the necklace on.
"It's supposed to be waterproof, so you don't have to worry about it getting wet."
"Oh, awesome." I exclaim.
Hopefully I'd never have to take it off because that's when it could disappear.  After the sentimental silence subsided, Austin opened his gifts next since he was the second to youngest. After that the rest of the Christmas festivities progressed magically. Everybody helped get the meal ready for tonight as we laughed and talked in the kitchen. It was so perfect I couldn't believe it was all real.
After working together to make the meal we all sat down to eat in a circle of family time. The day had been perfect.
"So what do you think of Christmas?" Adam asked.
"It's amazing. I wish I could have more of these."
"It's the most wonderful time of the year." Austin chimes is.
"Hey, I know that's a song you can't trick me with that!" I laughed pointing at him from across the table.
Everyone laughed because Austin has this thing where he would say things to me that we obviously from a movie or song and I wouldn't understand the reference. Now, I'm seasoned and know the things he's talking about.
My phone started ringing and I knew that only one person could possibly call it.
"Excuse me." I said sliding my chair away from the table and going into the other room to answer the phone.
"Agent 113." I answer.
"Hello agent, have you enjoyed your holiday?" The boss asked.
"Yes, thank you for the extra time sir."
"No problem, I called to wish you a merry Christmas and let you know you be getting picked up tomorrow at 9am."
"Okay, sir." I said as my stomach dropped.
"See you soon agent 113."
He hung up after that and my heart beat hard and slow in my chest.
"What did they say?" Taylor asked making me jump. I didn't realize she had been standing in the door way.
"Um, I'm sorry, but they are picking me up here at 9am tomorrow morning."
"What? But you're on vacation." She says panicking.
"I'm sorry. Please don't get upset."
She couldn't hold it in though and hugged me as she sobbed and I cried a little too.
"Is everything alright?" Andrea asked coming into the room and seeing us crying and hugging.
"Alex is getting picked up at 9am tomorrow." Taylor tells her mother.
"Oh honey." She frowns sadly.
"Please don't be sad." I say feeling sad myself.
"You just mean so much to me and to us." Taylor cries.
"Hey, it's Christmas. Let's finish our dinner and spend time together." I suggest.
I feel horrible for ruining the day, but I didn't want to wait too long to tell them since I had less than 24 hours left with them.
"You're right, we need to make every second count." Taylor says wiping her red eyes.
So that's what we did. Taylor composed herself enough to return to the festivities. We spent the rest of the night playing games and telling stories, most of mine from my time here with them. We stayed up for hours passed midnight and I wondered if we would stay up all night and not go to sleep. However, at around three in the morning Andrea suggests we get some sleep so we can get up early tomorrow.
Taylor didn't want to have to part ways for a few hours since we would be parting ways forever, but it would be nice to sleep in a nice bed for one more time.
Taylor hugged me about a million time before she left me to go to sleep. I found it difficult to sleep with tomorrow weighing to heavily on my mind. I had tried to be strong for Taylor, but once I was alone I cried and cried. It wasn't just simple stray tears it was buckets of them. I liked my life here and going back was unfair. Dangerous thoughts of running away crossed my mind, but I knew they could catch me and I'd be in huge trouble.
My eyes must have gotten tired from all the tears because I eventually feel asleep. I set my alarm for 6am so I could have 3 hours before I had to leave.
This was a nightmare.