Only Time Will Tell

"Everything will work itself out when you get home dude, stop worrying."

Brian didn't look up from where he sat staring at the floor, Zacky seated beside him. He hadn't spoken to Janey in over a week, and now he was waiting for the flight home, unsure of what to expect when he walked in through the front door. Janey had attempted to call him several times for the first couple of days, all of which he'd igonored, then she had simply stopped trying. Brian knew he was behaving like a fool, he just didn't want to get into another fight over the phone. Being apart from her was hard enough without having every word they said to each other being a cross one. 

"What did Gena say when you spoke to her?" Brian asked, not liking the way Zacky hestitated before answering. 

"Nobody apart from Mikki has seen her. Apparently she's just been going to work, heading home for a couple of hours then taking herself and Pinkly over to Mikki's each afternoon and spending her time there. Val spoke to her a couple of days ago, but she made no mention about being at the airport, but maybe that was just an oversight on her behalf."

Brian rested his head in his hands at Zack's words.

"Doubtful dude, very doubtful," he murmured. 

"Gates, you both said some shit that you shouldn't have done, every couple does it, it just came as a bit of a shock to the pair of you due to the fact that until then you were still in that sickening lovey honeymoon period where everything seems as though it's going to be wonderful forever."

"Yeah, but ignoring her calls probably wasn't the way to go. I just didn't want to get into another fight" Brian admitted. 

"It's Janey, she probably realises that and that's why she stopped trying to get hold of you. You'll get home, talk it through and ......well, I don't even wanna think about what'll happen after that," Zacky shuddered, grinning.

Brian ran a hand through his hair and chuckled inspite of himself. If Janey was at the airport, he knew they'd be halfway to sorting things out. If she wasn't, then Brian wasn't sure what to think. As the call rang out announcing that their flight was finally boarding, Brian rose slowly from his seat, knowing he was about to face the longest thirteen hours of his life. 

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

Val tapped her foot on the tiled floor whilst she waited for Leana to return from the coffee shop, wondering just what she was going to tell Brian. Each of the girls were at the airport to welcome the guys home, with the exception of two. Mikki Val could understand. JB hadn't wanted her bringing Elijah out to the airport, so wasn't expecting her. Janey on the other hand, Val didn't even know what she was playing at or what was going on in that girl's head. She and Brian had so much to sort out, and staying away was not the right way to go about it. Not that any of them, with the exception of Mikki, had a clear idea of what was actually happening between the couple. All they knew was that they had argued, and that they hadn't spoken since. Although Val suspected Leana had more of a clue than she was actually letting on, and she intended to try and find out just what it was she knew. 

"Here you go ladies," Leana stated as she arrived back with their drinks. 

Gena and Lacey thanked her, going back to their seats to continue their waiting game. Val took her coffee and looked at Leana for a moment.

"Lea, I'm gonna ask you something, and I want the truth....have you spoken to Janey at all this week?" 

Leana took a sip of her drink and sighed.

"I spoke to her last night. I called her, I've been worried about her ok?" Leana admitted. "And before you ask, no, she didn't mention whether she was going to show up here or not."

"Did she fill you in on what happened between her and Bri?" Val asked "Because I got nothing out of her apart from what we already know, that they argued and haven't talked to each other since."

Leana hesitated a while before answering, even though she knew playing dumb wouldn't wash with Val, she'd keep on until Leana broke. And with Gena and Lacey now paying her very close attention, Leana went on to explain just what Janey had told her the previous evening. 

"So, in short, Janey knows it's six of one, half a dozen of the other, that they both reacted in ways they shouldn't have. And she thinks maybe she should've just listened when Brian said he'd talk to her when he got home and not tried to contact him," Leana concluded. 

"And she couldn't tell us that?" Lacey questioned. 

"Lace....that's how Janey is. I know Val was the only one of us around when they were together before, but when Brian slept with Michelle, even then Janey wouldn't tell the whole story...all everyone knew was that he'd slept with someone. She kept it to herself just who it was, until Mich fucked Bri over last year. She just doesn't like to burden people with stuff," Leana pointed out. 

"But this isn't anything like Brian sleeping with Mich, that I can understand why she kept quiet, because of Val. But this, this is about Brian being a dick and not trying to sort things out," Gena stated.

"And that right there is why she didn't want to say anything," Leana sighed. "Janey can see where they both fucked up, but she knew if she told all of you this, then straight away the Brian bashing would begin, and that's just what she was trying to avoid."

Gena went to add something, stopped only by the glare Leana was sending in her direction. 

"Now, can we just drop it and sit back and wait for our boys to walk through that gate, because I don't know about any of you, but quite frankly I want nothing more than to see Jimmy and get him home so I can show him just how much I've missed him," Leana sighed with a wink.

"I think Matt might have something to say if I showed Jimmy how much I've missed him," Val replied with a smirk.

"You know what....oh shut up!" Leana cried, turning her attention back to watching the gate, wondering just how Brian was going to feel knowing he wasn't going to get the welcome home he might have wanted.

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

Janey lent her head against the steering wheel and screamed in frustration. To say that today wasn't going to plan was a slight understatement. Somehow, Janey had managed the feat of forgetting that to get to the airport on time, she would actually need to make sure the car had enough gas. A frantic call to Uncle Gary was hopefully going to manage to provide the solution to that slight problem, it just felt like an eternity since he'd told her he was on his way. Janey had also figured that calling someone to let them know that she had every intention of being there to meet Brian might be a good idea, yet it seemed that everybody she called was either ignoring her or simply couldn't hear their phones. Janey prayed it was the latter. 

After leaving a third message on Leana's phone, Janey noticed that the battery on her cell was getting dangerously low. Her stupidity seemed to know no bounds today, and Janey found she was becoming less frustrated and more fucked off with herself and her obvious failings that day. All Janey wanted was to get to the airport before Brian thought she wasn't coming, and get him home so that they could talk. The past week had been one of the hardest Janey had ever lived through, and ensuring that she and Brian were going to be okay was the most important thing on her mind. Of course, if she didn't make it to the airport on time, she feared she may be kissing that oppurtunity goodbye. 

Janey jumped at the tapping on the window. She flung the door open when she realised who it was, almost sending her Uncle flying.

"Janey, sweetheart...I know you're desperate to get there to make sure that fool you love doesn't think you've deserted him, but I think your Aunt Kim would prefer I came home in one piece," Gary stated, winking to let her know he was kidding. 

"Anyway, how the hell did a smart girl like you manage to forget something as simple as gas?" he asked as he filled the tank from the can he'd brought with him. 

"I have no idea, guess I just had a lot on my mind," Janey murmured. 

Gary gave her a sympathetic look as he tightened the cap back on the can. 

"Ok sweetheart, you're good to go. Have you called any of the girls to let them know what's happening?"

"I've tried, but had to leave messages as no one's answering, and now my cell's running low," Janey admitted sheepishly. 

"Ok, well you just get going and I'll see if I can get hold of someone for you, they'll be landing any time now."

Janey gave her uncle a quick hug.

"Thanks Uncle Gary...I owe you!" she yelled as she jumped in the car, grinning as the engine roared into life. Now she just had to get there on time. 

Janey was amazed she hadn't been pulled over. She had broken the speed limit several times in her haste to get to LAX before it was too late. She just prayed that her uncle had managed to get hold of at least one of the girls to let them know she was on her way. Swinging into the first space she could find, Janey quickly hopped out the car, just about remembering to lock it as she ran towards the entrance.

Nearing the building, Janey spotted Zack and Matt standing outside. Matt seemed to be on the phone, and as Janey raced up to them, she realised Gary must've finally managed to get through.

"Dad, there was nothing I could do, she's not here, so he just...wait! I see her. Ok, talk to you later." 

Janey bent over at the waist trying to catch her breath before speaking.

"Is he still inside?" she asked breathlessly, standing up straight.

Matt shook his head and pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry babe, but when he realised you weren't here, he got Jimmy and Leana to give him a ride. He left about ten minutes ago."

"So he's on his way home then?" she questioned, looking up at her cousin, not liking the look of pity in his hazel eyes.

"No, he asked them to take him to his dad's, saying he was going to stay there for a few days," Matt told her quietly. 

Janey laid her head against Matt's broad chest, fighting back tears as she wondered just what else could possibley go wrong today.