One Heart

Brian's POV

“Oi Syn!” I lowered the beer I had just opened from my lips, looking down at Zack who was staring up at me oddly.

“What?”

“Go get me a beer from the fridge.”

“Get it yourself you lazy fucker.”

He seemed to think about it for a moment before replying, “Please?”

I rolled my eyes. “Baker, I am not your fucking slave. Get it yourself.” He grumbled something under his breath, glaring at me darkly. “Sorry, what was that?”

He pouted. “Nothing.”

For the next few minutes he just sat there, but as soon as I went to try drinking again Zack looked at me again. But this time, with puppy eyes. Or whatever he thought puppy eyes was to be, which apparently was crossing his eyes and sticking out his bottom lip.

“Oh for fuck's sake, here.” Considering there wasn't really any sort of fight between us for the sake of one beer I couldn't be bothered even attempting at one, just giving up and giving him the beer I hadn't even gotten a single sip of.

“Does anyone else want a beer from the fridge?” I asked as I got off the couch, throwing out my arms to catch myself as the alcohol in my system threatened my balance. Might as well offer since I was going anyway, regardless of the fact that if I tried to take on more than one beer I’d probably just fall on my ass. At least it would save another Zack moment from happening. That was just plain creepy.

“Nah, I'm good man,” Matt replied.

“Same,” Jimmy and Johnny chorused.

I shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Walking to the kitchen should have been just a simple trip- go in, grab a beer, go back.

What I found though, was that life is never that simple.

–

At first, I thought she was dead. Her head hung back against the counter with her forehead coated in a sheen of sweat. Her breathing was laboured and she sounded like she was more of a ninety year old, and not the twenty-seven year old she nearly was. Hell, even her skin looked kind of blue.

“Nat?” I dropped to my knees in front of her and shook her shoulders desperately. “Nat? Please wake up!” My voice dropped, stained with guilt. Despite everything I had drunk that night I sobered up in a matter of seconds upon seeing her. “Fuck, I knew I shouldn't have left you... one moment and this happens...”

“Brian.”

“...how could I have been so stupid?! This was such a bad idea but I went along with it...”

“Brian.”

“...oh please just wake up, I'll do anything. I can't live without you Nat-”

She coughed; more out of getting my attention than actual need. Her voice was barely audible, only a mere whisper. “Well lucky for you that I am not actually going anywhere then.”

Seeing her smile, even though it was obviously strained, was the biggest relief. I pulled her close to me and wrapped my arms tightly around her, never wanting to let go. “Fuck Nat I was so scared! I thought you were going to leave me...”

She chuckled lightly. “Well I will be if you don't get off me.”

“Sorry,” I apologised, quickly letting her go. “Maybe I should call an ambulance.” I got as far as '91' before a ghostly hand reached up to stop me, connecting to Nat who shook her head.

“Please don't. You know I don't like it there.” My hand lowered by the gentle pressure of her own. “Just stay with me. That's everything I need.”

The right thing to do would have been to call an ambulance anyway but I found I couldn't- something in Nat's eyes just seemed to make any of those thoughts disappear.

Her eyes closed once again after I reluctantly set my cell aside and moved next to her, her head soon finding my shoulder.

She smiled. “I love you Brian.”

I curled my hand around hers. “I love you too.”

–

For the next ten minutes we both sat on the floor of Matt's kitchen in silence, the only noise being the involuntary rattling in Nat's chest. It just allowed my head too much time to think about the future, something I had avoided for a long time. An image of Nat and I in our old age appeared in front of my eyes, drifting there for a few moments before it began to blur until eventually nothing could be distinguished from it. It was an impossible wish now.

Eventually silence worked its way into Nat's chest, and had it not been for the blue eyes gazing back at mine when I turned to her I would be convinced that she was dead.

She squeezed my hand, sounding apologetic as some strength finally found its way back into her voice. “I'm sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I murmured, offering back a squeeze of my own. “Just next time something like this happens, make sure I'm around first.”

“I'll be sure to give you a warning when my lungs decide to give out next time,” she chuckled, playfully shoving me in the side before apologising again, “I'm sorry I ruined tonight for you. I seem to be quite good at that lately. First our wedding, then tonight... I wonder what's next. Chloe and Zacky's wedding?”

“Well I hope not, because they were going to ask you to sing for their first dance.”

“They wanted me to... what?” Her eyes grew wide. “Sing? Me?”

“I'd be up there with you, accompanying you on you know-” I made air guitar movements with my hands. “-guitar.” She bit her lip. “What?”

She shuffled uncomfortably. “I've never sung in public before.”

“Never?”

“Not unless you count a school talent show when I was like seven.”

I could tell she was freaked about the idea, even starting to shake even though all I had told her is that Zack was going to ask her, not that he had gone and done it. “I'm sure they'll understand if you don't want to do it.”

“No... it's alright,” she replied. “If they want me to do it... then I will. What song are they wanting?”

“Nothing else matters.”

“Just me and you?”

“Voice and guitar.”

“Okay then.” She slowly got to her feet, taking my hand as I got up beside her to steady herself before smiling. “I guess we better go back downstairs and practice then, don't you think?”

I shook my head. “I don't think so madam.” I picked her up and carried her in a fireman lift from the kitchen. “You sobered me up, so it is only fitting that you are getting me drunk again.”

She laughed. “Strangely enough I thought you would say that.”

I set her lightly back on her feet just one the other side of the door where the guys were probably all laying stone cold drunk, pissed out of their heads. Not that it mattered when the eyes of my beautiful girl were staring up at me, and her lips caressing mine.

“You just know me to well.”