One Heart

Brian's POV

Even as Nathalie slept beside me, I couldn't sleep myself. I couldn't even believe my own words; what if she didn't wake up again? It was selfish of me to say it, but throughout the whole night I didn't want anything more other than taking her by the shoulders and waking her, just to keep her with me. I tried everything to get to sleep, but I found that whenever I closed my eyes it would only be a few seconds before I stole a glance to my side at Nat, just to make sure she was still breathing, calmed by the sight of the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. That is, until I closed my eyes again.

My relief came later the next morning when Nathalie finally stirred, rolling onto her side so that she faced me and opened her eyes, a soft smile touching her lips. “Hello Mr. Haner.” She slowly moved her hand to mine and squeezed it. “My gorgeous husband.”

It took a lot of strength on my part not to just let my eyes water, let alone let tears fall. She didn't need to see me like that when she had enough problems of her own. “Hey.” I kissed her lightly on the forehead. “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I have in a long time,” she replied, “because you promised me I would wake up to you. I wasn't scared to fall asleep.”

I was.

“I'm glad.” I shifted into a sitting position with my back resting against the headboard, Nathalie leaning against me. “So what do you want to do for our first day as a married couple?” About half way through of me asking this, my stomach let out a large groaning noise, sending Nathalie into a fit of giggles, patting my stomach.

“Before we think of what to do I think I should make my husband some breakfast.” Before I could stop her she had gotten out of bed and was walking away, stopping only when I called her name, looking at me oddly. “What?”

“It's just-” As soon as she left the safety of arms I analysed every single movement she made, just waiting for something to go wrong. Ever since last night when I thought I was going to lose her... I shook my head and smiled. “It's nothing.” I followed her to the door, taking her hand, the feeling of her warm fingers in mine comforting me. “Maybe we should make it together. First breakfast together as a married couple and all.”

–

It took the two of us anyway to prepare breakfast since Matt had stayed the night at ours, taking one of the apparently 'unclaimed' rooms in the house. When I asked Nat what she meant by unclaimed she said it was because some of the guys had selected their rooms, and true enough when I went to look, they were definitely designed to fit their tastes. One was clearly Jimmy's since there was a drum kit in the corner, set up in the exact same way his actual stage kit was, deathbat design and all.

“I don't think I'll ever get tired of eating your pancakes Brian,” Nathalie murmured as she begun to nibble her way through one.

“Lucky for you then we're married, so you can get them everyday,” I replied with a smile, placing the dirty things into the sink and joining Matt and her at the bar. To my other side, Matt groaned. “What?”

“So I have to marry you as well if I want these pancakes again?” He dropped the rest of his pancake on the plate. “Screw that. I'll go without them.”

“You can't have him anyway,” Nat interjected, just finishing the last of her pancake when something started banging outside, drawing all of our attention. “What the hell?” She murmured, glancing at the clock the same as I. 11:00am. She frowned. “I'll get it.”

“I can if you want,” I said, catching her just as she reached the doorway. It was stupid to think it would make any difference, but I didn't want her to have to do anything she didn't really need to, even if it was just to open the door.

“I'm sure the grim reaper won't be waiting on the other side trying to sell me cookies,” she replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she turned and disappeared down the hall, adding, “if it is, I'll let you-” She cut off in mid-sentence to the sounds of a large thump, followed shortly by a loud, “What the fuck?!” She had just managed to get back onto her feet as I went to see what had happened, Matt behind me.

“Chloe?” I stared in disbelief as I watched Nat's best friend struggle in my own best friend's arms. “Zack?”

“Hey,” Zack greeted. “Do I smell pancakes?”

“There's a few left in the kitchen,” I said, still surprised to see them here. Chloe was still trying to peel Zack's grip off her but was failing miserably. I walked up to her, folding my arms. “Can I ask why you are attacking my wife this early in the morning? What if you hurt her?”

“Stop the protective shit Brian,” she spat, resorting now to punching Zack who was flinching with every hit. I could almost see the bruises beginning to form on his arms; god knows what was happening behind his jeans as she repeatedly swung the heel of her foot backwards into his shins. “I'd break her arm if it meant I could get her back to the hospital.” She stopped assaulting Zack momentarily and instead turned her fury onto me, outstretching her arm to point at me. “How the fuck could you let her leave? Are you that stupid to think it was a good idea?”

“The doctor said I could go Clo,” Nathalie reasoned, exchanging an apologising glance with Zack, “and stop taking it out on your boyfriend, if you break his arm then he won't be able to play for the band. Stop being so immature.”

“Immature?” Her voice rose. “Immature? What the fuck do you call this? Parading around the place when you should be in hospital?”

Nathalie simply held her gaze, responding in a calm voice, “Because I don't want to die there.” Almost instantly Chloe's tantrum let up, and Nathalie sighed. “Look, Clo? I don't want to have to pull the death card out every time something like this comes up. Just trust my decision, okay? I made it over a year ago without your help, and it isn't something I just happened to think of these past few days. I'm the one who is living with this, so stop trying to think for me. I can think for myself, and if you still want further proof-” She pulled out her cell and flicked through the contacts before pressing the call button and handing it to Chloe. “- ask for yourself. It was my decision to leave.”

She took the cell, confused, but still brought it to her ear and answered, “Hello?”

I could have sworn I saw a grin momentarily flash on Nathalie's lips as her friend answered however she walked off soon after, leaving me wonder who the hell Chloe was actually to, especially when we just walked out. A few minutes later Chloe flipped the cell shut and frowned, looking up. “Looks like I owe you an apology.” She sighed, patting Zacky once on the arm to indicate him to let her go. “I shouldn't blame you for what Nathalie wants. I'm just worried that she might not get as much care as at the hospital...”

“Hey.” I reached out and took her into my arms, comforting her the way Nathalie always did. “You don't need to worry about her. She's with me. I'll look after her.” I drew back. “I promise.”

She smiled. “I know you will.” She looked around, only now just realising that Nathalie has gone. “Where's Nat?” She looked again. “And Matt?”

I hadn't noticed Matt had left, but with the faint melody in the background I instantly knew where she was. Once Chloe decided to listen, she knew as well, smiling as we murmured in unison, “Music room.”

–

As always whenever she was in this room, you would see Nathalie upon the white, grand piano situated in the middle of the room, positioned in the exact right place so that the light streamed directly upon it from the nearby window. At first she seemed to be playing a light-hearted melody but as soon as we walked in she switched into a much softer key, her fingers chasing the keys as she aimed to make the music as pure as she could. How she could play without sheet music was always beyond me; whether it was something she transcribed onto the piano or something she made up it always sounded so professional- so perfect.

About halfway through she turned to us, her hands still playing, the music unaffected. “Do you recognise it?” She smiled, turning back. “What about if I do this?” Just as the melody broke into the chorus, she begun to sing along, “In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky, in my heart there'll always be a place for you, for all my life. I'll keep a part of you with me, and everywhere I am there you'll be. And everywhere I am there you'll be. There you'll be.”Her hand flourished the last few notes, a beautiful smile gracing her lips as she ascended from the stool and replaced the piano lid. For a moment I though I saw her falter as she walked towards us, but it was so minute that I doubt anyone else saw, and from the way her smile grew after it happened I knew she thought she got away with it.

“You may be hands down the best at piano, but you can't beat me at guitar,” Matt stated, leaning against the wall beside us and smugly crossing his arms in defiance.

“I wouldn't dream of it,” Nathalie said as she breezed by, not before she perfectly timed a little addition just before she left, “But Brian is better.”

–

Nathalie's POV

It was such a mistake saying that.

Instead of having an actual guitar 'battle' they instead opted for the plastic equivalent in Rock Band, egotistically enough selecting their own songs to play. Waking the Demon for Matt and Bat Country for Brian. Needless to say they easily perfected their own song but it was clear that Matt had messed up a bit more on the other song than Matt had done, mainly because of the solo in the middle of Bat Country. Trust Brian to choose it because of that. Of course Matt did protest that the difficulty between their songs was different, which just annoyingly led to them still playing those infernal plastic clicks three hours later.

“Guys, can you please stop now?” I whined, reaching out and trying to grab Brian's arm in the process. He jerked it away in reaction and subsequently broke his combo because of it. “You've been at this stupid game for hours.”

“Sorry babe, just one more song,” he replied. “I promise.”

“You said that before,” I huffed. He didn't respond to this, so I decided to try a different tactic. I pretended to start coughing. “I'm just going to get some water. I don't feel too good...”

As soon as I had mentioned the possibility that I may be getting sick Brian instantly dropped his guitar, crouching down in front of me and looking up, concern lacing his eyes. “Nat, are you alright? Why didn't you tell me before?”

I smiled, reaching forward and kissing him lightly. “I'm better now.” Behind him, the screen flashed red and eventually the game announced he had failed. “I can now watch something.”

At first he didn't get what I meant but just as he did a scowl formed, muttering darkly under his breath as he resigned to slumping onto the couch next to me as I turned the game off. I patted his leg as some type of consolation before I got up, turning to ask, “I'm going to get some orange juice. Anyone else want anything?” Everyone just stared at me blankly. I sighed. “Anyone else want a beer?”

“Hell yeah!” Matt yelled.

“Me too!” Zacky added.

“Brian?”

He was still pouting. “Yes.”

“What about you Clo?”

“I'll have an orange juice.” She smiled. “With just a little bit of vodka in.”

I shook my head at the lot of them, muttering under my breath, “Fucking alcoholics.”