You've Got Nothing To Lose

Laney Hull-Baker



Brian Haner Jr.



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Laney Hull-Baker



Brian Haner Jr.



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Zachary Baker


To say that Zacky was having a rough patch lately would be an understatement. It would be such a fucking understatement that the man would of probably laughed in your face if you asked if he was having a "rough" day. It started when he left his wife. Logically it was for the best. Their marriage had become so fucking toxic, no trust, screaming matches, until Zachary just didn't know why they stayed together. The divorce had been nasty; Gena promising to do what she could to make his life miserable including taking a sizable amount of his bank statement with her. They guys had all been supportive as possible, but frankly Zachary had just been in a foul mood, his drinking increased, he spent most nights high and sometimes someone warming his bed. Though he never let them linger around. Then he met Meagan, and fucking hell he was happy.

He'd laughed for the first time in months, and instead of drowning a bottle alone, they'd finish it off together. His friends seemed to like her well enough and the blonde was always encouraging of whatever it was Zacky wanted to do. New music, touring- whatever. Than of course his old green-eyed monster reared it's head when she'd left her Facebook on his laptop open, and it showed she'd been messaging her ex. There was nothing incriminating, it just looked like they were catching up from the two messages he'd glimpsed at; but it was enough for Zachary to egg Megs into a fight. A fight which landed him in Vegas spending most of boozed up to point he couldn't remember his own name, and when he finally found himself back on his planeride home sobering up; he could vaguely recall a girl. Of course he panicked but waved it off as nothing. Even in his drunken state he thought he still loved Megan.

He'd asked his friends if anything had happened and while they weren't sure; they didn't think so. So Zachary had gone home, bought his girlfriend a rather showy vase of flowers (she liked that kind of crap) and the two had made up. Vegas was gone from his mind by dinner as he'd lost himself in Megan. You could imagine his surprise when he got a phone call from his lawyer informing Zacky he needed to get his ass down to office as there was a problem. That tone left little room for negotiation, so he'd bid farewell to his girlfriend before driving to the lawyer's office; wondering what the fuck was going on. His question was answered as soon as he walked through the door. A curvy blonde was sitting with his lawyer in the waiting room, her eyes large and unsure. Opening his mouth to greet her, Zacky had promptly snapped it back shut again as memories came pouring back to him.

That chance meeting, bumping into her quite literally at the bar. Zacky had bought her drinks, complimented her, opened up and spilled himself to her. And they... They had gotten married? The meeting wasn't quite as brutal as he thought it'd been, they had both expressed wants to get divorced; and so with that Zacky thought it would be clear sailing. His lawyer had managed to squeeze them in that day to get everything finalized, and that's when life absolutely fucked him over. The judge, a crotchety old man had listened to their story and had fixed Zachary with an expression that made his stomach turn cold. He'd gotten a big lecture after the judge found out he'd been recently divorced, and received a lecture about the sanction of marriage. He then refused to let this girl he hardly knew, to divorce him.

Six months. Seeing a marriage therapist. And if Zacky didn't comply not only could this girl, he found out her name was Laney, take half of his money and file for alimony on the house, but could also additionally fine him and hold him in contempt of court. Of course Zachary had no choice but to have Laney move in, and tell Megan who'd been pissed. Like to the point if, given six months Zachary didn't think she'd talk to him. But about five days later she'd begun talking to him; asking if there was anything they could do. Zacky promised to look into it; and wasn't quite sure what this made Megan. Was he supposed to stop seeing her? When he'd been married to Gena part of their trust issues was because she cheated on him. It felt like shit and he would never do that to another human being- but Laney didn't love him. At least he didn't think so. He was just a stupid, drunken mistake. That had been two weeks ago; today found Zachary sprawled out on the porch swing waiting for her to pull up. He'd hired moving things to move some of her shit into the house so they could at least attempt to "have a marriage" but so far she had yet to show.

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Wynter Ambrosious


It had been four long years since she'd been in this neighborhood. Four years since she'd spoken to her best friend, and her rock. There had been reason she stayed away from him, and the reason came after he tried to convince her to stay; made love to her, promised and pleaded he would do anything to have Wynter stay. He had told her that New York wasn't impossible; just inconvenient and that he'd be with her even if she chose to leave. Brian fucking Haner would chase after her. But being born to parents, absent in every sense of the word except for physically, had shaped Wynter in not relying on people. To never put herself in a situation where she could depend on someone. Which is why she had fled when he'd fallen asleep, his grip loose about her hips. Brian hadn't stirred as she dressed, slipping one of his hoodies over clothing as a small keepsake before letting herself out into the night.

It had been the hardest thing she'd ever done, leaving him. He was the one person who Wynter truly allowed to see her as she was. Who she'd learned to take down most of the walls that she kept around other people. Since middle school he'd always been looking out for her; which was why she had to leave. For both their good. Brian wasn't meant to love a woman such as herself. Broken and twisted, sharp and callous around the edges. And she wasn't meant to love a thing like him. Compassionate and empathetic, patient and charismatic. They were two beings that should of never mixed; and when they did the two spent more time tip-toeing around each other. Trying so hard to balance whatever they had, this back and forth love that had slowly eaten her up. And for the first couple months it had been torture. Her numbers had been changed, her Facebook deactivated, and email changed. There was no way for Brian to contact her unless he knew her address which she'd given him a false one. On the other side of the city in fact.

She'd gotten a job as a graphic designer, with an uppity company that paid her well. Well enough so that when two months later she discovered she was pregnant, had been able to choose that she was well enough to raise a child by herself. There wasn't a moment she didn't miss those soulful brown eyes, and that devil-may-care grin Brian had mastered. She of course kept up with Avenged, they did well enough she didn't have to worry; and for years she did well. Wynter had a son, a boy with his eyes and nose, but her ears. It almost hurt how much her son looked like his father. She'd chosen Nikolai for her son's name, though called him Niko for short. The only friends that knew of his existence were her New York friends; namely her neighbor Leanne. With each passing day she watched as Niko grew into toddler. It was his third birthday when Leanne had sat her down and had a talk with her about how Brian should know his son.

Her son was nearly four by the time they boarded a plane to California for a "vacation." He was old enough he knew some words, but young enough that he still had a long, long way to go. Wynter was banking on Brian having not changed addresses since the last they spoke. She knew he'd be mad. Pissed, brassed off, ripped- those sounded a little more covering of how mad he'd be. The plane ride was horrible. Turbulence made her sick more than once and Leanne, who'd offered to come spent the trip alternating between calming Niko, to calming his mother. They landed, and Leanne promised to go check into the hotel while Wynter wasn't to waste any time and go straight to Brian's with Nikolai. After making sure the taxi would take the fretting mother to the intended destination; Wynter was on her own with Nikolai. The ride was about an hour, and Niko had fussed for half of it until she gave him a few snacks.

Paying her fare when they arrived and stepping out into the near-blistering heat Wynter just felt like she falling apart. Taking her stroller from the trunk of the cab, flipping the hood up and buckling her son inside so he wouldn't get heatstroke, she began what felt like the longest journey up his driveway. His car was gone, and sitting down Wynter wondered where he was if this was his home anymore. The overbearing sun had begun to burn her skin, and Nikolai had fallen asleep a while back when a familiar car pulled up. Her stomach began to toss nervously as she pictured the worst scenarios. Brian flat-out telling her to get lost with their baby, denying the baby was his, or just ignoring her. But she was doing this for Nikolai. He deserved to have a relationship with his father, and Brian deserved to know that he was a father... even if it was a little late. Getting to her feet, preparing what she'd say as the door open, Wynter was greeted by the sound of a slamming door as she kept her head down pushing the stroller towards him.

She knew the moment Brian laid eyes on her as he inhaled, sharply enough to hear it a couple feet away. Looking up, every thing she wanted to say fled her tongue as Wynter saw his eyes fill first with anguish, and as his eyes fell to the stroller shock and anger. He was the easiest person to read for her. "Hey you." She greeted quietly, just as she used to when they were kids. By now he was frozen, fear having crept into the firm lines of his mouth. Fearing her heartbeat loud enough for him to hear it Wynter managed to choke out, "I... I think we have a lot of catching up to do." He was teetering between so many emotions; she honestly had no idea how he'd react. She just shut her her mouth and hoped for the best.