Scream and be Free (Zac Hanson)

Chapter One

I'm just taking it and going with it...yep.

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A lot can change in a short period of time. Five months, was all it took for things in life to turn completely upside down.

After their wedding, Zac and Brielle had spent Christmas and New Year's with their families, before taking a short week to themselves. Zac had the absolutely perfect plan, whisking his new bride away to Europe for a short honey moon before heading back to Jamaica to work for a couple of days. While in Jamaica this time, Zac had made the decision to take all three kids along, turning it into a bit of a family vacation while they were there.

Brielle had loved the fact that Zac had thought to include the kids as well; it was nice getting to spend time with them away from their usual routine. Sure, taking a toddler away from his usual routine had been hell the first day or two, but she had managed. Settling into their routine as a family was nice, Brielle had lived with Zac before the wedding, but it had really started coming together in the few months they were officially married. It was rather favourable waking up every morning to find her husband, knowing that once she slipped out of bed there would be three little ones to greet her.

Lately however that hadn't been the case at all. Now when she woke up, it was a chance that Zac wouldn't have even come to bed the previous night and the kids weren't their usual happy selves. It all started around two months ago, Brielle remembered the entire thing too well. Sharing custody with his ex-wife had been great; Zac had been sharing his children back and forth for a while, it was something they had gotten used to and it worked. Before he introduced Brielle to his children, he had introduced her to his parents and six siblings, and then his ex wife.

Brielle was warm, friendly, kind, and had more manners than any one person Zac Hanson had ever met. She didn't meet somebody who didn't like her. Hell, the first time Zac spotted her, he knew he had to talk to her. When she agreed to kiss him, it was icing on that cake. His new wife could walk into a room and charm even the nastiest of personalities; by the end of it she'd have them laughing, chatting, and relaxed. It was a gift. Upon setting up a coffee date with Brielle and his ex wife, Kate, Zac was certain they'd hit it off. The second Brielle walked in and took a seat at the table; she and Kate were practically best friends.

Zac admitted to them that he felt out of place, as the two women sat discussing what hobbies and interests they both seemed to have in common. As they chatted, it was like they had known each other for years. It continued that way; Kate had even come to their wedding after Brielle had extended the invite with the memo that Kate didn't have to attend if she didn't feel comfortable enough to do so. Brielle wasn't entirely sure where things started to go wrong, they just had. About two months ago, Kate had called to tell Zac that she wasn't sending Shepherd home after a visit. Zac was furious, when she simply stated that if he was married to Brielle, then Shepherd was going to live with her.

Not knowing what she'd done to change Kate's mind, Brielle had agreed to whatever terms the other woman had. Zac had a lawyer on the case, too bad Kate had managed to find a better one. For now Brielle had told Zac to go with what his ex wife wanted, not to stop fighting, but to go with it. When things settled down, they'd work on getting their rights to his son back. Zac had known from the first time he'd met Brielle, she was usually right.

Here they were now, five months into their marriage, neither person overly joyous as newlyweds should be. Instead they spent most of their time walking on egg shells with one another. Zac was terrified if he mentioned Shepherd to Brielle, then she'd break down into a fit of tears over how she wasn't allowed to see him, and how this was her fault. Brielle was intimidated by the brooding man her husband had become; he stayed to himself a lot and hardly ever talked about the situation. Junia and Abe were both still in the house, a little note Zac found he was thankful for, but having them without their older brother was beyond deranged.