Denial

"Well Fats, it's just me and you now." I said, looking down at the cat that was laying by my feet. I'd rented a cabin lodge type thing for the time being and it was absolutely amazing. I sighed and took a sip from the wine cooler I had. I was just relaxing now. Fats and I had just got here a few hours ago, but it felt like home already. I was living it up.

The place was already furnished, I had Dish Network, a huge stereo, a plasma TV, I really had it all. Fats was enjoying it too. It was quiet here instead of constant opening and shutting of the front door waking him up from where the guys would just walk in. Speaking of the devil...

You know I make you wanna scream.
You know I make you wanna run from me baby.
But no, it's to late you've wasted all your time-

"Hello?"

"Leny!"

"Matt! Good to hear from you too!"

"This isn't a joking situation Helena."

"I'm sorry Matty."

"Why do you run off like you did?"

"I needed a break."

"So you choose to run from your problems like Zacky."

"No Matt, for your information, a change in scenery now and then is nice too." He sighed.

"Why couldn't you at least tell us?" I snorted stating the obvious.

"Because I knew you wouldn't let me go."

"You've never even been out of state alone, much less the country Helena! What else would you expect? I'd be all gung ho for it! La de da! Sure go ahead, and if the plane crashes on either trip there or back or something happens to you and we're not there to protect you, that's fine too!"

"That's not what I meant Matt."

"Well you obviously didn't stop and take a look at both the pros and cons of the situation."

"Look Matt, I'm not gonna argue with you. I came here to relax and relieve stress. If you'd like I can shut off my phone and stop answering your calls. Then we'll see how much like Zack I'm trying to be."

"No, don't do that Leny."

"Then stop it." He sighed again.

"You're already there so there's really nothing I can do about it."

"Glad you see that, and yelling at me over the phone isn't going to help your vocals any."

"Psh, I don't think I'll be needing them for awhile."

"Why?"

"Zacky's still gone. He rarely calls. I don't think he's coming back for awhile." I sighed and shut my eyes.

"Right."

"When are you coming back Leny?"

"I dunno. A couple weeks or so?" He sighed with relief.

"Alright." Fats stretched and meowed up at me.

"Fats says hi." I grinned into the phone. He chuckled lightly.

"Hey Fats."

"Matt says hey Fats." I looked down at the cat. With that he walked away looking satisfied. I laughed. "I'm gonna go Matt."

"Alright. Enjoy yourself. And be careful."

"I will."

"Later."

"Peace."

I closed my phone standing up and headed towards the bathroom. I was anxious to try out the huge bathtub that was in there! A relaxing hot bubble bath sounded good right about now.

*************************************

"I just don't know how we're supposed to tell Zacky that she's gone." Matt said, looking stressed, sitting with Val.

"Let's not tell him." She said. He looked up at her.

"What?"

"Yeah, I mean, she said she was coming back in a couple weeks right? Well why does he even have to know?" He thought it over for a minute.

"I guess you're right. I mean he doesn't really have to know unless he calls her and she tells him right?" She nodded. "You're too perfect babe." He smiled at her before kissing her gently.

"Now we need to tell the rest of the guys so they don't slip up and run their big mouths." He nodded in agreement.

*************************************
It's been a week and half now since I've been here in London and I absolutely love it! I've made it an everyday habit of walking down to the little coffee shop just a few blocks down to get a vanilla cappuccino and chat with the two main employees. I was on my way there right now.

"Hello Helena!" Brandon greeted me. I smiled.

"Hello."

"The usual?" I nodded taking a seat in my usual place at the bar/counter place.

"Getting colder out now, you still walking here?"

"Yeah I just love a couple blocks down."

"Ah, I see." He grinned, I nodded.

"So where's Janey?"

"Oh, she's in the back right, she's on dish washing duty this hour, so you're stuck with me for now." He winked. I laughed and shook my head.

"So-" He started, when my cell phone rang.

"Oh, hold that thought." I said, grabbing my cell. It was Billie Joe.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe, it's me."

"Hey Billie, what's up?"

"Not much, watching Mike and Tre play truth or dare and missing you."

"Awe, I'm sorry babe."

"Eh, it's okay. You'll be home next week right?" I bit my lip.

"Um, yeah."

"Um yeah? You hesitated."

"No, no. I just, I gotta go for now alright Billie?"

"Why?"

"I just do, call me later."

"Alright, love you."

"Yeah you too. Bye." I closed my phone and looked back at Brandon smiling.

"Worried?" I nodded.

"So when are you gonna tell them?"

"I-I don't know." I chewed nervously on my bottom lip.

"You gotta tell them some time honey." Janey said, coming from the back, wiping her hands on a dish towel. I sighed.

"I know I do."

They knew my entire history and the reason why I'm here. They knew everything about me. They also knew my future plans too. But I'm not sure how to tell the guys. They're gonna take it kinda harsh. Especially Billie Joe and Matt I think.

"Guys I don't know how to tell them." I slammed my head down on the counter.

"Hey, don't hurt yourself over it. It'll be okay." I sighed and looked up at him.

"Okay? You think it's gonna be okay? Bran do you know how bad they flipped out over finding out I was coming here for a visit? Imagine how bad it's gonna be when they find out what I'm going and doing now!"

"Shh It'll be alright." He leaned forward over the counter and kissed my forehead.

"You need to relax." I let out a hollow laugh.

"And to think that's what I came here for in the first place. To relax."

"Everything will work out, alright?" I laid my head back down and shut my eyes.

"If you say so Bran, if you say so."

*************************************

"Zacky you've gotta come home."

"Why?" "Because man, everyone misses you. You being gone isn't helping a thing!"

"Yeah it is."

"Sure, sure. Get yourself on a plane and get back here to Huntington."

"It's not that easy Matt."

"Why not?!"

"Because I've made a decision."

"Oh really? And what wise move would that be?"

"I'm not coming back."

"Excuse me?! Zack! Are you nuts?"

"No. I've got everything I need here, I'm rich, why go back? You can always find a new guitarist."

"Because everything you love is here!" Matt roared into the phone receiver.

"I gotta go Matt."

"Zack don't you dare hang up this phone-God!" He threw it into the wall.

"What's wrong?" Val asked running in. Soon followed by everyone else.

"Zacky's not coming back home guys." Everyone stood there with shocked looks on their faces.

"Is that what he said?" Val asked.

"Yes that's what he said. But he's got another thing coming, he's coming home whether he likes it or not."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"Watch me." Just then his cell phone started ringing.

"Hello?" He expected it to be Zacky, but it was Leny instead. He calmed his voice when he realized it was her. she'd been gone for two weeks and a day now. She's probably ready to come back.

"Hey Leny." His voice was calmer now.

"Hey Matt how are you?"

"Um I'm okay, are you comin' home today Leny?"

"Um, Matt, I need to talk to you." His jaw clenched. He knew what she had to say couldn't be good news. He'd asked her if she was coming home and she'd responded with, I have to talk to you. And her nervous tone didn't help anything.

*********************************

I was scared to death to tell Matt what my plans were, but I knew I had to.

"What do you need to talk to me about Helena?" He always used my real name when we were discussing something serious. So I knew he was already worried and could sense that I was nervous. I swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I'm not coming back home Matt."

"Helena," He spoke slowly, trying to stay calm.

"What do you mean you're not coming back home?"

"I love it here in London, absolutely love it. I've made two new best friends and everything's just perfect here. I've got nothing to worry about. I mean, I was living off of you guys and that wasn't right. Now, now my new friends have offered me a job here with them at the coffee shop diner place and it's all just working out great."

"Oh my Lord, has Zacky got a hold of you or something?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He basically said the same thing not ten minutes before you called."

"I know. That was part of the reason for my decision. He told me about his decision to stay there a week ago."

"He what?!"

"Yes Matt."

"And you didn't tell me? So you've just been planning this out?"

"Kind of. I'm really, really sorry Matt. But what reason do I have to come back now? I mean my best friend's not even gonna be there anymore! He doesn't care anymore!"

"Maybe all your other friends that love and care about you, or your boyfriend."

"Billie's not my boyfriend anymore. I called him and told him I couldn't see him anymore because I'm staying in London."

"Are you nuts?"

"No Matt, I'm not, I know what I'm doing. And I'm going now, because i won't sit here and be criticized by someone who's made enough of his own mistakes. I love you all. Bye." And with that I hung up and shut my phone off.

*******************************************

"I can't believe it! They're nuts! they're both nuts!" Everyone just stared at Matt letting him get out all his anger. Nobody was happy that they were never coming home, but Matt took it the worst. He was always so protective over her. He only cared about her well being. Plus he had the worst temper out of the bunch. So that didn't help anything.

"Ya know what?" He said. "I know what we're gonna do. I know exactly what we're gonna do."

"What's that?" Val questioned.

"Me and Bri, we're going to bring them back."

"And how do you think we're gonna do that?" He asked.

"Look Brian I know you'll help me on this one because you've wanted us to tell Leny from the start how Zack feels am I correct?" He nodded, now very interested.

"Great. You're going to fly out to Florida and convince Zacky to come back here to Huntington. And if he won't come willingly, you bring him physically. I fly to London and tell Leny the truth about how Zacky feels about her. We get them both face to face again for the first time in months and they can confess their love for each other and Gena will be long gone blown out of the picture!" Brian stood up grinning in an instant.

"Sounds brilliant man!"

"Sounds too good to be true." Val said, looking back and forth between the two. They frowned then.

"She's right." Matt said.

"But it's worth a shot right?" Brian nodded eagerly.

"Alright, let's do it then. Get online and start booking flights. They're gonna have a couple of surprise visitors on their hands." Brian grinned and ran to the computer.

"And what do we do while your gone?" Jimmy asked.

"Sit back, relax, and wait. We'll call and update you." He nodded.

"Fine, fine. I just think it seems a little unfair that you exclude me from your little plan of action." He fake pouted. Val rolled her eyes.

"He'll get over himself. I'm proud of you babe." She stood on tip toe and kissed him. He grinned wide.

"Thanks babe." "

You." He pointed to Jimmy and Johnny. "You two are actually in on my plan of action."

"Really?" Jimmy jumped up, Johnny followed him over.

"What do you want us to do?" He asked.

"You are in charge of watching over my woman and making sure she had anything and everything she wants or needs while I'm gone, don't let anything harm one pretty little hair on her head or you'll have none on yours when I come back."

"Ei ei, captain!" Jimmy yelled saluting Matt. Johnny laughed and shook his head.

"We'll take care of her."

"We leave in an hour and pick up the passports at the airport, so we better hurry up." Brian said, walking back over to us. Matt grinned.

"Perfect. Let's do this." He ran up stairs and grabbed a small suitcase and packed a few things, not much, he figured he wouldn't need much. Same as Brian did. He ran home to get a few things but new he wouldn't need much. They met back up in Matt's front yard.

"So we separate at the airport right?" Matt cleared up. Brian nodded.

"Your flight for London leaves fifteen minutes after mine leaves for Florida."

"Alright." He turned to Val giving her one last kiss goodbye.

"I'll see you soon babe." "Alright, be careful hon, have a safe trip."

"I will, take care of her guys." Brian was saying his goodbyes to Michelle, he gave her a kiss goodbye as well before running over to catch up with Matt.

"We shall return with our fair wedded friends!" Brian shouted. The girls laughed. Jimmy and Johnny shook their heads waving. And they set off on their journey for Leny and Zacky.