True Love

Ten Grand.

Everyone sat sprawled lazily around Mia's living room.

It had been three days since the accident, the girls and Zack had been released to come home yesterday. Insurance had ruled Zack's car as totaled, in all the other driver had done almost thirty-five thousand dollars in damage. Emma had been sent home with her left arm in a sling and she was trapped in a neck brace for the next two weeks. Mackenzie had her right knee in a brace, and she was stuck on crutches for at least the next month and Mia was still administering at home breathing treatments every few hours to her.

"So," Matt spoke, his voice booming through the room as he shoved the iPhone back into his jeans pocket, "I ordered fifteen pizzas, they said it would be at least an hour..."

"Fifteen?" Mia asked, her eyes wide.

"Well yeah," Matt defended, his hands planted on his hips, "there are eleven of us here, and a growing boys gotta eat!" his dimpled smile taking over his face as he rubbed at his washboard stomach.

Mia and Emma were sitting on the floor, their backs pressed firmly to the couch as they talked among themselves, "So how are you guys feeling?" Brian asked, drawing the girls from their conversation as he mindlessly strummed at the black acoustic guitar sitting on his lap.

"Good! I need to get out of this cast so I can get started on physical therapy so they'll release us to start back in the weight room..." Kenzie chimed, Emma just nodded as she scratched at her hairline, desperate to reach beneath the neck brace.

"Ditto, if we don't get back in we won't be able to play..." everyone looked at the girls in astonishment.

"You were just released from the hospital," both of the girls just shrugged.

"Brian?" one of the girls asked, hitching up the sleeves on her bright yellow long-sleeved hoodie.

"Yeah uh-" he glanced between the girls, doing his very best to figure out who was who.

"Mackenzie..." Zack sauntered, a satisfied smile taking over his beaten and bruised face. Clearly proud that he could actually tell them apart.

"Yeah Kenzie?" Brian finished, rolling his eyes at Zack.

"Can I see your guitar?" Brian arched a brown, clearly hesitant as he handed the guitar to her. She sat the guitar in her lap, "Pick?" she asked, holding out her hand expectantly. He dropped the black pick into her open hand, she examined it smiling at the purple top-hand clad skull before she strummed softly, making a seemingly flawless transition from a G, to an E minor, to a C and then back to the G.

Zack couldn't help but smile as he scooted forward, resting his elbows on his knees-- but to everyone's surprise, the girls started to sing.

"I heard you were just passing through, I never meant to get attached to you. The day we met - I still hold onto..." Mackenzie began to sing, her voice was sweet and soulful as she strummed at the guitar, everyone now watching in complete awe. Mackenzie looked at Emma who smiled, and she began to sing, tapping in her leg to keep a steady beat.

"It was out of the blue. You played a show. And we locked eyes, by the stereo, I fell into your eyes so blue..." Emma sang, her voice sharper and sweet. But the girls looked to each other, smiling not once paying attention to the people around them.

"No matter how it goes, goes, goes, I just want you to know, know, know. I'm reminiscing, thinking about us kissing. Now could you take, take, take a million miles away, way, way? It's you I'm missing. In this long distance..."

"We keep in touch, though out of reach. I almost wish we didn't meet. It's not enough to keep a romance sweet..." Emma continued on, her eyes closed as she swayed gently playing with the ends of her bright blue hoodie sleeves.

"I was out of my mind to let you in, I should have thought of you as just a friend. But now you've got me right until the end..." Kenzie sang before letting Emma join in one last time.

"No matter how it goes, goes, goes, I just want you to know, know, know. I'm reminiscing, thinking about us kissing. Now could you take, take, take a million miles away, way, way? It's you I'm missing. In this long distance..."

They stopped their smiles beaming as everyone began to clap.

"Holy shit Vengeance!" Johnny beamed, "Did you know they could do that?" Zack just shook his head, once again in complete and total disbelief, "Did you Mia?" Mia just laughed.

"Of course-"

"Were not that good," Kenzie defended, handing the guitar back to Brian, "I only know G, C, A, and E..." Emma shrugged.

"I can't play at all..."

"She thinks her fingers are too chubby-" that voice. It was deep and husky. And it stopped Mia in her very tracks. Her heart jumped into her throat as she looked up, her blue eyes meeting his. He had his arms crossed over his sculpted chest as he leaned against the entryway, "but if she really put her mind to it..."

The girls both let out shrill screams.

"Dad?" Emma cried pulling her bruised body from the floor.

"Daddy!" Mackenzie screamed, doing her best to lift her injured self from the floor.

Mia barely had time to react, let alone think.

But in all the chaos she caught a glimpse of Zack, who looked completely and totally heartbroken.

Mia jumped up from the chair, hustling across the carpet.

"Chance!" Mia hissed, grabbing at his arm yanking him towards the kitchen. The girls followed quickly behind, each smothering Chance in hugs and kisses, "Girls, I need you to go upstairs." Mia stood firm, her hands strong on her hips, they didn't even bother arguing, knowing Mia meant business.

Mia rested her hands on the counter, doing her very best not to black out as the girls hobbled up the stairs. She watched until they disappeared, but she finally turned to Chance, fire burning in her blue eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you? How did you even get in?"

"Don't you dare give me that bullshit." Chance huffed, his finger wagging in Mia's face before he dug through the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a key only to toss it onto the counter, "If anything, you owe me answers. Like why in the hell were my kids with that prick? Or better yet, why didn't you call me when they got into an accident? I mean Jesus Christ, I had to fucking hear it from your mother!" Mia rubbed roughly at her tired face.

"It's awfully nice she had half the mind to call you, but not to come check up on the girls," Mia chimed sarcastically.

"Oh yeah? At least she’s involved. Where is your ass of a father if he’s so great?" Chance challenged. Mia narrowed her eyes.

"British petroleum meeting in London," she had to choke back a laugh, "but you should already know that, because you should be there with him." Chance was silent, his blue eyes filled with what she could only assume to be rage and hate, "Did you quit, or did he fire you?"

"How about you use your brain and you tell me?" he snapped, but the moment those words slipped from his mouth every ounce of color drained from his bearded face. Mia's mouth fell open, up until this very moment she had only ever heard her mother say that.

"Do you realize you are becoming just like my mother?" Mia countered, her voice now calm, her eyes pensive, "The nightmare we always say she’s become? You're just like her-" Chance furrowed his brows, "She won't share with my dad, she lives to make my life difficult. And you! You won't give an inch for Zack. I get it, you've been dad for what? Ten years? But that is ten years he missed and that's is because of me..."

Chance had his palms planted firmly on the counter.
He looked guilty.

"And me..." Chance spoke, finally daring to look up at Mia.

"What?" Mia asked, her voice faltering.

"You were going to leave me." Chance started as he began to pace the kitchen, "I knew it, I over-heard your dad talking about it. So I went to your mom..." Mia looked at Chance in complete and total disbelief, "she um..." he rubbed at the back of his neck, "she paid this record label out of Belgium ten grand to sign his band-" Mia covered her gaping mouth with her trembling hand.

But much to his surprise, she let out a cynical laugh.
She looked at the ceiling as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"Oh my god! You're such a bastard!" but again she laughed-- even harder this time, "My mother," she hissed, "paid some label ten grand, to make Zack a millionaire! And You!" Mia growled, approaching as she grabbed a handful of Chance's t-shirt, "You knew! You are both unbelievable." Chance swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. Mia let go of his t-shirt, pushing him away, "Get out of my house."

Her voice was calm, the calm that told Chance that he didn't have an option number two.

He let out a deep breath, approaching slowly he reached down, placing a kiss on Mia's forehead, making her flinch, "I'm so sorry Mia..." he whispered, his hot breath tickling at her forehead. Mia just shook her head, pointing to the door.

She closed her eyes, listening as the heavy footsteps made their way through the house. Mia wanted to cry, she wanted to scream...she had never been so hurt, or embarrassed...

But she heard someone clear their throat.
She opened her eyes and suddenly her heart fell to the floor.

Zack stood, his hip against the counter his green eyes were tired, they were confused.

"How much of that did you hear?" Mia asked.

"All of it..." tears began to pool in the corners of her eyes, but before she could speak she felt Zack's arms wrap tightly around her waist, pulling her in. Their eyes met and Zack's plump lips pulled into a half smile, he reached up taking her cheek softly into his hand.

And he leaned in, connecting their lips.
Making her melt into his arms.
♠ ♠ ♠
Thanks for reading.

By the way, the song the girls sing is called "Long Distance" by a band called Megan & Liz.