Womanizer

Megan was dozing in the uncomfortable waiting room chair. It had been hours and the little bundle of joy wasn't here yet. Janine was having a fairly difficult time, but the doctor had assured them that this wasn't unusual with the first child.

Zacky was at Janine's side and had been since they'd arrived at the hospital. He wanted to witness his child enter the world. Brian and Megan had been in and out of the waiting room. They had watched the end of the Alabama/Auburn game. Much to Megan's delight, Alabama triumphed 36-0.

Not long after the conclusion of the Iron Bowl, Brian and Megan had gone to a nearby Taco Bell for lunch. They had brought food back for Zacky. Then, there had been nothing left to do but wait. And wait. And wait.

Megan jerked fully awake at the sound of a voice. She looked up just as Zacky entered the waiting room.

"Relax," he said the instant he met her expectant gaze. "Everything's fine."

Megan straightened up in her chair and winced as her muscles protested. "What are you doing out here? I thought you didn't want to miss a second."

"Dr. Sawyer has estimated that it'll be a while longer. Jani encouraged me to take a break, maybe get something to eat and have a cigarette."

"Bri's outside smoking right now."

Zacky studied Megan for a moment. "Why don't you come with me? You need to stretch your legs and wake up or you're going to sleep through the good part."

Megan followed him to the elevator. They rode down to the ground floor and crossed the reception area, pushing through the heavy glass doors, out onto the sidewalk. There was no sign of Brian in front of this particular entrance to the hospital.

Zacky and Megan perched side by side on one of the metal benches to the left of the doors. Megan zipped up her hoodie, jamming her hands in the pockets. There was still a bit of light in the sky, but with the lowering of the sun, the temperature was rapidly dropping.

Zacky lit his cigarette and sighed. "I really hope I don't have to leave right after my child is born."

"Why would you have to leave?"

"We have to finish recording this album."

"Um, I think the guys will give you a break in this case," Megan said, laughing. "They're not totally insensitive twats."

Zacky chuckled. "I guess not."

"Did you call them and give them the news?"

"Yup. As soon as I got off the phone with you." Zacky paused to take a drag off his cigarette. "Jimmy started insisting that they fly out here. Matt told him by the time they got here, the baby would already be born. Jimmy calmed down and made me swear to send them, like, a zillion pictures."

"See? They understand what a big deal this is."

"Doesn't change the fact that I have to do my job. And once the album is released, we'll have to go on tour to promote it."

"Zee, Jani will be fine. I promise."

"I know." He studied the tip of his cigarette, glowing brightly in the fading light. "I never used to dread leaving her. I mean, I didn't want to leave, and I always missed her while I was gone, but...it wasn't a huge deal."

Megan smiled. "You and Jani are so adorable."

"Brian didn't want to leave when we went to California last week." Zacky glanced at her. "And he couldn't wait to get back to Alabama."

"Zack!" Megan protested. "For the last fucking time, we're just friends. I'm not going to tell you again."

"Hmm. Maybe he was so eager to fly back here because he wanted to get away from Allison."

"From who?"

"Allison," Zacky repeated. "She's one of his exes. She visited him the last day we were out there, spent the night."

Megan felt a sharp pain in her chest and her stomach did something unpleasant.

"She said she had wondered if he'd changed at all since they dated, so she came back to find out."

Megan licked her lips. "And...had he?"

"She didn't seem to think so," Zacky replied. "It really sucked. She was a nice girl."

"Why'd they break up?"

"They didn't, not exactly. She had to move to L.A. for her job and they just...fell apart. She obviously still cares for him, but he's already over it and on top of someone else, I'm sure."

"Veronica."

Zacky smirked. "She didn't count. She wasn't a relationship, however the fuck Brian defines that word. I thought you'd figured him out by now."

Megan didn't say anything.

"C'mon." Zacky stood. "I've gotta eat something and get back to Jani."

**********

Brian had gone to the gift shop to buy a stuffed animal for Baby Baker. It was strange to think of his best friend, who had spent the last several years raising hell right by his side, being a father. On the other hand, Brian had to admit that he was excited for Zacky. The idea of having a child was one that made the other man very happy, so Brian was happy for him.

Brian returned to the waiting room just as Zacky polished off the last of the Taco Bell that had been brought back for him.

"Did you stumble across a hot nurse or something, man?" Zacky asked teasingly. "I've smoked a cigarette and eaten in the time it took you to, uh, do whatever you were doing."

Brian held up the gift bag in his hand. "I was getting a present for my niece or nephew."

Zacky raised his eyebrows. "Wow, Bri. Are you sick?"

Brian flipped him off. Zacky laughed.

"What? No comment?" Brian said, addressing Megan.

She ignored him.

"I'm out," Zacky said. "Hopefully, my spawn will make an appearance soon." He vanished into the hallway.

Brian collapsed in the chair he'd just vacated. He set the gift bag between his feet and looked at Megan. "What do you want to do for dinner?"

Again, his query was met with only silence.

Brian frowned. "Oookay? Did I do something without being aware of it?"

A soft scoff escaped Megan.

Annoyed, Brian snapped "Are you going to enlighten me or just sit there, being a bitch?"

Megan was on her feet in a flash. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously. "Fuck you!" she snarled.

Brian saw her arm move and suddenly, a loud POP! echoed through the room. Megan was gone before his ears had stopped ringing.

Brian was so shocked that it took his brain a second to register that she'd just slapped the hell out of him. With that realization, his cheek began to sting.

What. The. Fuck? he wondered.

Normally, if there was a female pissed off at him, he had a pretty good idea why. This time, however, he was totally and utterly confused.