You Got Me Poppin Champagne

ALEX'S POV

"I don't know, okay? I don't know why, it just happened! It's not my fault!" I heard Sam yell to Zack from the back lounge. Rian and I exchanged looks with one another.

"You don't think..." Rian asked, trailing off.

I shrugged. "Who knows, I doubt he'll leave her, have you seen how the boy looks at her? He's head over fucking heels. And she is too."

"Yeah but, Alex, something like this, I mean-"

"YOU ONLY MET HIM BECAUSE OF ME!" Zack yelled, stopping Rian mid sentence.

"And you were never there! What was I supposed to do? I had no one Zack! No one!" Sam yelled in response.

"There's a fucking phone for a reason!"

"That's not the same!" I could hear some of my own insecurities reflected in Sam's argument, and some of Erin's, although she would never air them to me. "I was lonely!"

"You had Allie! You two go way back! And Erin, she's there too!"

"They live in Baltimore! I needed YOU!"

"You could have stayed with one of them! And you know that it's not long before Jack and Allie make the move to LA!"

"I can't help the fact that I got lonely!"

"Yeah? Well you're gonna be feeling a hell of a lot more lonely, because guess what? We are through! I'm done with you after this!"

There was silence. Fuck. This would be awkward. At least we only had another couple of days left in the UK before we got home. This was why we didn't normally bring girlfriends on tour, you're living in a compact space and everything gets dragged up and tensions are high, and you can stop it from getting too bad if you're with friends, but as soon as a relationship is thrown into the mix, nobody gives two hoots about losing it with each other, because it's just another domestic.

"Zack..." I heard Sam say quietly, and I could imagine her pleading eyes boring into Zack as he refused to look at her. I was so glad Rian and I vacated the back lounge as soon as the argument started. And luckily Jack was out with Matt, Evan and Vinny, stocking up on supplies for the next two days, otherwise he'd probably make a dick joke at the wrong time and risk his life, because I tell you now, I would not go up against the Hulk for anybody...well I guess I'd attempt it for Erin and Jasey, but for anybody else, no fucking way. I love my face and manhood too much for that.

"Just don't, okay? Why don't you go back to loverboy Biersack, it's his responsibility. Not mine."

"You know full well that Andy has Juliet, they're happy. You and I...well I figured we could work this out...we can make it work if you at least try. Or would you rather I have lied and told you the kid was yours?"

"I respect that you were honest, that's great, but you can't expect me to raise another dude's child! Not out of the blue like this!"

"So what? You're kicking me out?"

Another prolonged silence. I wondered if they knew the whole bus could hear them?

"No," Zack finally answered. "I'm not kicking you out. You can stay until you either can get your own place or we work it out. I'll give you a chance, but not now. Not until we get back home, okay? I need to cool down, I'm too mad to think straight, okay? Just...just give me the next few days and we'll figure it out when we get back. I mean, we've got six months." And with that, the door to the back lounge opened and Zack emerged expressionless. That's the one good thing about being a quiet person I guess, you could hide emotions better than most. If it weren't for the fact that Rian and I were two of his best friends, we probably wouldn't even have noticed he was the slightest bit fazed. But we knew better, we knew there was no way he could just not feel.

Zack strode right up to us and looked Rian directly in the eyes. "I need a drink. Wanna find a bar?"

"Dude, do you really think that's the best idea right now?" Rian replied, concern filtering through, which I knew Zack would hate and disregard as pity.

"I don't know what to think right now," Zack spat wearily, venom and sorrow and longing and anger clear in his tone. "So yeah, a drink seems like the best possible option right now."

"I'll go with you," I stated, volunteering myself as on Zack duty.

"Alex..." Rian started, giving me THAT look. The one that told me I would probably end up doing something stupid like getting into a fight or not making it back to the bus if I went out with Zack. I haven't had a drink in a while, so yeah, it would be harder for me to hold my drink and I probably would get far too drunk, but I needed to look out for Zack. If I didn't go, he would probably go on his own anyway. Better I went too than have him risk harming himself because nobody was there.

"Dude, I'll be fine, I promise. Come on, Zack, let's get you drunk, sounds like you need it."

Zack gave a weak laugh. "You have no fucking clue."

*one week later*

"So how are Zack and Sam now? Have you heard anything?" Erin asked me as we lay in bed, snuggled together. I was so glad to be off tour. I missed her, missed this. And I intended to never let her go, never be so stupid again.

"I don't know, I know that they told Andy and he's gonna be there for the kid, but I honestly think Zack wants to make him and Sam work. Last I heard they'd arranged to see a counselor or something, like for their relationship. Which is kinda weird considering they aren't actually married, but hey ho, their choice. I'm glad they're trying to work it out." I was, I really was, and it made me kinda scared because what if I couldn't do that? i knew something bad was gonna happen between Erin and I, I just had this feeling in the pit of my stomach, one of those horrible feelings that just won't go away. And if it broke us, I just didn't know how I would cope. I couldn't let her go, but what if I had no choice?

"I hope they do work it out, they're good together, they're kinda perfect for each other I guess."

I smiled and looked down at Erin, currently laying on my chest. "Yeah, just like us, huh?"

Erin looked up and smiled bigger. "Yeah. I don't think I've ever met anyone more perfect for me."

"I'm not perfect, it's all about the imperfections. You know, it's when-"

"You see the imperfect person as perfect, I know, Alex, I know," she recited with a smug smile. I grinned and went back to looking at the ceiling. We lay in silence for another few minutes until I heard Erin take a sharp breath. I looked at her in alarm, and saw she was rubbing her stomach slightly. And yeah, I went into panic mode. "Are you okay? Is it the babies? Are they on their way? Should I call the hospital?"

Erin shook her head and laughed slightly. "No, Alex, I'm fine, they're just moving about is all, I'm not going into labor, my waters haven't even broke yet."

I let out a small sigh of relief, but nonetheless held her tighter. I was still worried, I mean they were due any day now. I placed my hand over the spot she was rubbing and smiled small as I felt a kick beneath my hand. "Not too long now, any day now and you'll be in the family kiddos, and then I can start teaching you guys to play guitar too."

"Alex," Erin complained teasingly. "Is that all you think about?"

"What? Our kids? Our family? Our future together? Why yes, Erin, yes it is," I told her with a tentative smile, which she returned, before turning out the light and gently kissing her goodnight as we held onto each other.

Our future really was all I thought about. Because I was so fucking scared. So scared that I hadn't asked what had Jasey so upset about her mother when we were left in the house alone today while Erin went shopping.