This was written for the CTR Flowers Challenge. It had to have either fruit or flowers mentioned in it and it had to be 'sni' length - longer than a drabble and shorter than a snippet. The recommended length was 500-800 words. This is 801, not including the title or notes (and the flower is there, just hard to find). This is one of the few challenge stories we've written that wasn't about Seb & Adam. Hope you like it.

WARNING: This contains significant spoilers for Zach 3. Do NOT read this unless you want to know who Zach's partner is before you read Zach, part 3.

Which we will get around to writing one of these days. <sigh>

AJ

The Island: Zach

Epilog

by AJ

"Five minutes."

Zach nodded his thanks at the stagehand, picked up his violin and found his place in the wings. He took a deep breath and let it out, dealing with the mild panic that came with each performance, no matter how many he did. At least he wasn't suffering from jet lag and lack of sleep, as he had been in the past.

The Island had taken care of that problem for him, by restructuring his life and teaching him new habits and a new way of thinking. Then it had provided him a partner who traveled with him to every concert and, since Ash refused to cram eight concerts into ten days, his schedule was much more manageable.

On cue, he touched the boutonniere Ash had delivered before each performance and confidently strode out onto stage, his eyes going to the 8th seat in the 5th row. That particular seat was a part of every contract now, no matter where he played; it saved searching through the darkened auditorium each performance. Once he had located its occupant, he immersed himself in the performance

His thoughts continued after the concert, blocking out the music that still played in his mind as he moved effortlessly through the reception that followed. Funny how things worked out, he mused as he worked his way through the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging small talk. He had been so sure he would be stuck on TI forever, that he wouldn't find a partner who could - or would - handle his schedule.

He had fallen in love without conscious thought, leaning on his Alpha and confiding in him without ever realizing the man was his Alpha. He laughed ruefully. He had often heard that love was blind but he had given the term a whole new meaning.

"Zach, excellent performance." his manager greeted him. "Ash isn't here tonight?"

"No, he went back to the hotel," Zach replied, accepting the glass of red wine the other man offered. "He had some work to do."

"You want to go out for drinks after this is over?" Simon's gesture swept over the room. "Or do you still have a curfew?"

"Curfew," Zach admitted with a smile. Funny how that had changed, too, his musing continued. In the past, even the suggestion that someone else controlled his actions was enough to make him rebellious. Now he was willing to admit - at least to close friends - that he accepted guidance and suggestions from his partner, that he allowed the man to set curbs and limits on his behavior.

"I thought the whole Island thing was bogus," Simon told him, "but I have to admit you seem to be thriving on it. You're a lot easier to get along with than you used to be."

"Thanks. I think," Zach replied with a laugh.

"You'd better get going then," Simon urged lightly. "Don't want you in trouble with the boss."

Once in the taxi, Zach leaned back, closed his eyes and let the music take over his mind. While it had been a good concert, there were still flaws in the second movement. He went over it in his head, analyzing his performance, magnifying the flaws no one else would have heard. By the time he got to the hotel room, he was almost aching to get to his violin and go over the offending passages until they were letter-perfect.

"No," his partner said firmly as he opened the door.

"Asher! Whatever happened to 'hello, how was the reception?'"

"Hello, how was the reception?" his partner mimicked. "The answer is still no. You are not going over the music tonight. You can worry about it tomorrow."

"Ash!" Zach winced as he heard the whine in his voice. So much for the self-congratulations earlier.

"You know the routine, Zachary. Warm bath, food, massage, bed."

"But I won't remember everything tomorrow," Zach grumbled.

"Then it wasn't that important," his partner replied. "I ran your bath and ordered your sandwich and milk."

Zach grimaced. "I hate to think what's going to happen when the milk mixes with the wine I had. It will probably curdle."

"The sandwich will help," the other man promised. "I'll bring it in when it arrives. I talked to Ryan today."

Zach leaned back in the tub, allowing his partner to entertain him with gossip from TI as he ate and the tension slowly ebbed. He hated it when Ash was right, almost as much as he loved being pampered by the man.

His backrub was followed by slow, gentle love-making until finally, relaxed and sated, he rested his head on his partner's chest. Already half-asleep, his mind slipped back into old patterns. "G'night, Roberts," he murmured drowsily.

Roberts dropped a light kiss on his hair. "Good night, love."

The End