Vengeance University

The tension in the room had grown quickly. Sarah was looking at anywhere I wasn't, but I understood that what Zacky said was true: Sarah would do anything to save her unborn child, even if it meant telling the authorities of mine and Brian's relationship. And, frankly, I didn't blame her - I'd have done the same thing if I was in her situation. I just wished she would look at me and not feel ashamed about what her decision would be.

"I'd like to see you try to bring me down, Zack," Brian spat, and my attention went back to him. He was about to continue but I stepped forward, moving between him and Zack.

"Shut up. Don't even think about opening your mouth again, Haner," I growled, glancing up into his eyes as he set his hardened expression on me. Putting my hand on the middle of his chest, I pushed him back toward the other room. Turning to the others, my eyes softened. "I'll come back, and when I d this whole fucking mess will be fixed, and I want the fighting to stop. You guys are driving me insane," I grumbled, not meaning to sound so harsh. Zack nodded and sat down next to Sarah again, and I shoved Brian a little harder as he tried to withstand against me.

"Turn around and move it, Brian," I growled again, and he huffed like a child before turning and going into the next room, which ended up being Zack's bedroom. I followed him in and then slammed the door shut. "Sit," I commanded him, and he obeyed, sitting on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked angrily, and he tore his gaze from mine, not daring to look me in the eyes. "I honestly don't know how you could show me so much compassion earlier, and then act like this. It's like you're two different people."

The expression on Brian's face softened as he sighed, but he still didn't look at me. He wouldn't talk, but I knew there were things bothering him - something Zack had said pushed his buttons.

"I don't know why this has become such a major problem for you - but when I'm done talking in here this is all going to end, do you understand me?" I asked, crossing my arms as I stood before Brian, looking down on him like a mother punishing her child. Brian nodded, but he wouldn't say anything.

"Well since you're not going to talk about what's bothering you so much, how about you just tell me what's going through your head right now..."

Sighing deeply, Brian finally looked up. "He's bluffing. He's gotta be."

"Excuse me?" I asked, cocking my brow at him. I swear, my boyfriend was crazy - something had to have been shaken loose up in his head.

"Zack won't do it. He won't drag me down with him." I scoffed at Brian's comment, amazed at the audacity of him.

"Do you really wanna make that bet, Brian?" I asked. "His father instincts have kicked in, and I can assure you he will stop at nothing to protect his family, especially his son," I said, trying to show him how much more important this all was to Zack than his damn job. I had even heard from Sarah that there were days where Zacky just wanted to drop everything and hand over his title as headmaster to someone else.

"How would know that's what he'll do?" Brian asked, the tone in his voice biting me, and I clenched my jaw.

"You really wanna know how I could possibly know he'll stop at nothing, Brian?" I asked. "Do you remember when I told you my dad died when I was twelve? Some guy broke into my house with a gun and wanted to tear my family apart for money and material possessions. He came after me, but my Daddy stopped him and took a bullet for me. He gave his life for me, Brian, and I had to watch him die. That's how I would know," I spat at him, furiously wiping away the tears from my eyes. A look of realization washed over his face.

"Baby, I-" he said, beginning to stand to come console me, but I put my hand out to stop him.

"No, you listen to me, Brian. You listen to me damn good. You will not make Zack give up his son - he already knows the gender for God's sake! And as much as you continue to deny it, we are exactly like them Brian. Sure, I might not be pregnant, ...but I love you. Doesn't that count for something?" I asked, my voice growing soft. Brian looked shocked - I hadn't planned on telling him that just yet.

"Yes, but-"

"No, I'm not done yet," I said, stopping him again. Feeling the itch of drying tears, I rubbed my cheeks, realizing I was still crying. "What if this was us? What if we were in their shoes, and Zack had just given you the choices you just did? What would you do then? Don't you understand what you're putting them through?"

"Amanda, it's still not the same..."

"For fuck's sake! Brian, it's not that hard of a decision for him to make - his family, or his career. Why are you making this so difficult!?" I nearly screamed at him. He sat still and quiet for e moment and then a deep sigh wracked his body, causing him to nearly shudder as he looked me in the eyes.

"You wanna know why I'm so pissed about this?" he asked, his voice shaking. "My wife was pregnant when she died; no one knew until the autopsy went through." I could feel the breath in my chest tighten, and suddenly I wasn't quite so angry with him. His eyes were starting to gloss over with tears. "It killed me to know that Natalie wasn't the only one I lost, and Zack gets to rub it in my face every day, and he doesn't even know how much it hurts," he said, finally hitting his break point. I saw a tear leave his eye and trail down his cheek, and all I wanted to do was reach out and hug him, hold him to me and tell him that everything was going to be okay. Brian looked away from me, shielding his eyes from me in hopes to conceal the tears that were undoubtedly escaping, but it was already too late.

"It's not fair!" he sniffled, and I slowly stepped closer to him. "It's not fair that he gets it all... He gets to have a family - everything that was ripped away from me. Why should he get to have the things that I can't?" he mumbled, his voice wavering as I could tell he was fighting the sobs that wanted to break through.

I crouched down in front of him and pulled his hands away from his face, placing my hands on his cheeks to get him to look at me. The broken look in his eyes pulled at my heartstrings.

"Life isn't fair, Brian, but we each do our best to make it turn out alright..." I whispered. "You can have a family, you can have children... You can have everything he has. I can give them to you, baby. I can give you whatever you want. Whatever you ask for, just please... let them be. If not for them, do it for me, because I love you." I wiped his tear stained cheeks with my thumbs, and Brian sniffled, trying to pull his lips into a smile.

"I love you, too," he whispered back, and I smiled through my tears that were still falling. I kissed him gently and then hugged him, pulling him close to me, and he let out a ragged breath against my neck. Pulling away, I kiss him once more.

"Now, how about we both get straightened up a bit before we walk back out there?"