One Heart

Brian's POV

If I was the victim of all of this, then why did I feel like the bad guy right now? I couldn't get back to sleep after Nathalie's big reveal, so when the guys came over in the morning I was still awake.

“How did the new girl do last night?” Zacky asked as we were all sitting in the front room, sharing a grin with Matt and Johnny. “Was she as good a fuck as you made her out to be?” I ignored this, not even bothering to move to acknowledge that I had heard him. “Hey! Anyone home?”

I tossed aside the cushion that he threw at my head, again in silence. Couldn't they see I wasn't up to playing their stupid games? There were a lot more important things on my mind right now.

“Is she still upstairs?”

This voice I did answer, but my reply wasn't what he was expecting. “You knew all along, didn't you?”

Jimmy looked confused at my question, especially when I hadn't really talked to anyone since they all got here. “Knew about what?”

“You know exactly what I mean. You just asked about her didn't you?” My eyes narrowed at him as everyone turned to look at us, oblivious to what we were on about. I knew there was a reason behind him acting like he did with her. “You knew all about Nathalie!”

“What? I don't get-”

“Don't lie to me!” I roared, rising to my feet as my anger just suddenly flared, shocking everyone- even myself. “You knew this whole fucking time, and didn't think I had a right to know?!”

“It's not my fault she fucking chose not to say that you had a daughter!”

“She was fucking right there, and you-” I stopped in mid-sentence, my mouth dropping as shock stole my words from me. The guys- apart from Jimmy- all looked at me, sharing my same expression. “Wh-what?”

I watched as Jimmy looked around at all of us, slowly replying, “That... that is what this is about, right?”

I fell back onto the recliner, staring at my hands. A daughter?

“Okay, what the fuck is going on?!” Zacky asked, pushing himself onto his feet and standing between us, like an acting referee. “What is this about that girl?”

“Nathalie... is Nathalie.”

“...so what?”

“No, I mean she IS Nathalie,” I repeated, running a hand through my hair. “Remember this?” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the silver chain she had left behind after I had kicked her out of my house, along with the unique diamond bat engagement ring I had specially made. “Nathalie Amber Taylor.”

“Shit...” He said slowly, taking the chain from me and looking at it before handing it back, “...really?”

I nodded. “She told me last night. Left this behind after I kicked her out.”

“You kicked her out?” Jimmy said incredulously. “What the fuck did you do that for?”

“You would have done the same!” I defended. “I was going to ask her to marry me for fuck's sake, and then she pulled a shit on me and ran off! You would have shown her ass the door as well!”

“Oh.... fuck,” Zacky murmured, his gaze directed at the floor. “Chloe won't like this.”

“Or Sarah,” Johnny added, turning to look at Jimmy. “Or Leana. You better hope she values your marriage more than this.”

“Can't forget Val,” Matt interjected, looking at Jimmy before settling on me. “She won't be happy about this secret daughter of yours.”

“Actually...” At this, everyone turned to look at Jimmy. “Val knows about Nathalie.”

Matt went from calm to furious in the blink of an eye, already off the couch and pinning Jimmy against the wall by one hand, growling, “No she doesn't. She would have said something yesterday, don't try and make shit up to save your ass.”

“She helped Nat leave!” Jimmy choked, trying to force Matt's hand from his throat but to little success. “Shads! Shads your-”

I walked over, placing my hand on his shoulder. “Let him go. It's not his fault.”

His grip tightened. “He should have told us. There should be no secrets among us.”

“There was a good reason!” Jimmy squeaked, looking a lot smaller than his normally tall self. “It wasn't my decision-”

He stopped when another voice spoke. “It was mine.”

–

Nathalie's POV

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I decided to go back to Brian's, but this was one scene that wasn't on the list of scenarios I had imagined. In fact, I didn't think that the rest of the guys would be there at all, just that they would find out after I had left. The front door was open as I expected, since whenever Brian was in he would always leave the door on the catch; a habit that always made me slightly paranoid. Who knows who could just come walking in, uninvited?

“Let him go Matt; I asked him not to say anything,” I said, staring him straight in the eye. “He was just being a good friend to me; more so than you are being to him.”

Reluctantly he let go, murmuring his apologies as he moved slowly back to the couch to take his seat next to Johnny. I walked over to Jimmy and looked him over, wrapping my arms around him in a swift hug. “Hey Nat, feeling better?” He then held me at arm's length, noticing the large cut over my left knee. “And should I ask how you did that?”

“When you are running barefoot for thirty blocks, you are bound to slip up sooner or later,” I said with a shrug. Brian looked away when I talked about running from his. “But now, much better thank you. Might have been even better if Alex didn't start on me when I got home, waking Rae up from her beauty sleep.”

“Rae?” I turned and saw Brian fumbling with something in his hands- the silver chain and ring that I must have dropped on my way out. “Is she... is she...?”

“Is she yours? Biologically, yes,” I answered. “Are you her father? No.”

He was taken aback by that. “But, you just said I was.”

I snorted. “You haven't been in her life from the day she was born- what gives you the right to call yourself her father when you haven't even seen a picture? I'm sure you won't miss the sperm she used; if I remember my Biology classes right you never stop making them. Or I can buy it off you. What about I buy you a pack of fags? A car? You name it Brian and I'll get it for you-”

“Nat.” He looked hurt; one of the last things I expected to see, especially after the way he talked to me earlier. “Rae... is that her name?”

“Well... no, it's a nickname.” I watched as he seemed to be lost in thought. “Her full name is Rachel McKenna Haner-Taylor.”

He smiled, raising his gaze to me. “She has my name? And my sister's name?”

I was stumped; I didn't expect this from him. “You are the father on her birth certificate... plus I had decided on her name a long time ago. It was only right for her to represent both of us.”

“Do you have a picture?” I pulled out my cell, showing him the wallpaper which was of Rae and me. He smiled. “She looks just like you.”

“But she has your eyes.” The room grew silent; all eyes centred on Brian and me. I didn’t think about what I said next until the words left my lips, unsure if I was actually meaning them or not. “You can see her if you want.”

His eyes lit up. “I can?”

“I wasn't sure after tonight I was going to let you-” He instantly looked guilty. “-but fate seems to want you to. So... are you coming? Before I change my mind.”

“Of course!”

I looked at the others, who all seemed a bit lost. “You guys can all come as well. Although I would recommend you bring swimming stuff with you- for your own protection. And while I remember-” I unzipped Brian's hoodie that I wore over to his, ironically only with the intention to give it back but ending up just exchanging it for the person itself. It left me wearing just my striped bikini top and black shorts, but considering it was a hot day I didn't mind in the slightest. Plus Brian's expression was priceless. “Are you coming?” I turned to Jimmy. “Sorry Jimmy I would offer you a ride as well but there are only two seats. Alex can come get you if no one else is coming over.”

“Hey, who says we're not coming?” Matt said, pushing himself from the couch with a grin. “No way am I going to miss this.”

“Me either,” Zacky and Johnny added, standing beside Matt who I guessed they all must have come with since he was the only one with keys.

I pulled my own out, walking over to the door. “Come on then. I hate to think what she has done to Alex this time.”