*Hope*
"Yes this is Hope ?" I can hear my own voice trembling when I answer the unknown number about an hour later, afraid of what message I will get. Siena is desperately grabbing my arm.

It is Zac, he sounded tired and upset but alive. "Hi, it is me, I need your help badly right now darling".

"Oh God Zac are you okay ? Where are you ? We have been so frightened". I can feel the tears stream down my face. I have never been so relieved to hear someone's voice.

'Zac'. Siena mouths and I nod and give her a thumbs up with my free hand to tell her that he is okay.

He sighs deeply on the other end. "I am so sorry, Hope ... and tell Siena sorry too. I have really fucked up this time, can you come get me ?"

"Yes of course, where are you ? I will be on my way right now". I am already headed towards the hallway to get my shoes and the keys for the small extra car. I needed to see him, to know he really is okay.

I can hear someone call for him in the background. "I am at the police station, downtown. I have to go, please hurry".

Oh shit, so that is what happened. He has gotten himself arrested. Well it is not a big surprise to be honest. Drunk driving and if I know him he has probably been speeding too.

This will look so bad in the press and it will draw a lot of attention to him and us, attention none of us need right now. I just hope and pray that he has not hurt anyone.

I explain everything to Siena as fast as possible and she tells me she will get some strong coffee ready for when I come back with him. She is just so relieved that he is okay and I do not want to tell her that he might not come home, I guess it depends on what happened.

"Hi Hope, what has he done this time ?" Eric, his company's head of public relations, answers almost right away and he apparently has no trouble figuring out why I am calling at that hour.

Eric had helped us prepare to tackle the questions from the colourful press about our living arrangements.

I walk out to the car as I am talking. "He fucked up royally this time Eric. I am on my way to the police station to get him. We are looking at charges for drunk driving as a minimum, probably speeding as well ... I do not have the details".

"Oh fuck ! Well I always feared it would happen someday. But after you came into,his life I hoped this was a thing of the past. I guess you did good calling me already. You go get the knucklehead, I take care of this as well as I can. I will contact you". Eric says and ends the call.

I get in my car and have to stop myself from speeding, it wouldn't look good if I got arrested too.

I arrive at the police station and go up to the reception desk, telling them I am there for Zac, to pick him up. I have to fill out some paperwork and then I get his things and is asked to wait. Feeling relieved that I will get to take him home.

It takes about fifteen minutes, then the door opens and an officer leads him out. He has his head hanging and looks like he has an extremely bad consciousness.

"Zac ?" I walk towards him, when the officer let him go, and the sound of my voice makes his head snap up. He has tears in his eyes and a couple of long strides brings him to my side, pulling me into his arms.

I hug him and stroke his back gently. He is literally sobbing against my shoulder and even though I want badly to scold him right now, I also know it isn't the right thing to do.

"I am so sorry Hope, I have really fucked up this time, I lost my head. Shit I have to call Eric". He almost looks frightened by the idea.

I brush his hair away from his forehead. "I already talked to Eric. He is handling it as well as he can, so let's just get home now okay ? Siena is waiting".

"She should hate me". He looks at me. "You should hate me".

"I don't hate you". I give him a small smile. "But I think you are a rather big idiot right now".

We go to the car and start the drive home in silence. He is glancing at me. "Were you really worried about me ?"

"Of course I was worried, Zac. Actually I was scared out of my mind. I thought you were dead". I kept my eyes on the road.

He bit his lip, sounding insecure. "So you did not want to leave ? You still care about me ?"

"No Zac, I did not want to leave. But don't for a second believe that I am not extremely pissed at you right now. What the hell were you thinking ? You can have killed yourself or someone else". I pulled up in front of the house.

Zac sighed. "That is the problem, I wasn't thinking. I am so sorry I had you both so worried".

"Right now I am most worried about what kind of trouble you will be in. You know you can face jail time for this right ? And the media will rip you apart". I looked at him worriedly. "What happened ?"

He closes his eyes. "I know, I know too well. I smashed the car into a cement pillar because I dropped my phone. I was damn lucky I didn't hurt myself badly or even killed myself".

"Are you okay ?". I get out of the car and walk towards the house.

I hear the other car door slam and Zac grabs my hand. "Yes, a bit sore and some minor bruises ... but the biggest bruise is my heart, for thinking you no longer wanted me".

"I.. I thought that.. I felt that ...". I don't know what to say. I had let my worst feelings get the best of me..

"You felt you got bowled over ... I am sorry for that". He smiles at me, pulling me into his arms, his eyes holding my prisoner in their gaze. "The only thing I need you to say now is that you are mine".

"Yes Zac, yes I am yours, if you will still have me ?" I look up at him but he doesn't answer, instead he kisses me lovingly.