So Much for My Happy Ending

Despite the fact that I wasn't on good terms with my Dad, and despite the fact that Uncle Brian and I made up, the family was at its ends with one another. Still not too sure how I'm the reason Dad and Jimmy currently aren't speaking. He's the one that hit me. Not the other way around. Jimmy jumped to defend me. Dad told him to back off after his initial shock and bam. They're always arguing when they are talking.

It was Mom's idea to have a get together of some of our friends, old and new.

That basically meant that a whole heap of bands were going to pile in at our house. Also a plus because that meant that I could get away with avoiding the family and actually have a good excuse of catching up with other people. If they didn't like that, tough titty said the kitty.

So to say I was excited would be an understatement.

When I rolled over and glanced at my clock and noticed that the clock said 10:46, I grabbed my phone and sent out a quick text Elise with the directions to my house and asked her to be over by 12. While I was at it, I texted Andy and told him the same. Even though he already knew the directions to my house.

I rolled out of my bed and headed towards the showers. I gave Sally a quick pat on the head. I was halfway across my room when Aleia busts into my room with an overexcited grin on her face.

"Can you fucking believe it?!" She shouted. I winced from the frequency her voice just reached.

"Calm the fuck down." I said instead of jumping around like a lunatic. She pouted at me, and it was turned up to full capacity. She looked like I just killed her kitten.

"How can you not be more excited! Uncle Zoltan is going to be here!" I was quick to roll my eyes. I loved that man to death, but I didn't call him Uncle like Aleia and Kenna did. Not because I was in the same boat that I was with Jimmy. No, it was more because he was like a cool older brother who was older than my Dad and Mom.

"I am excited. I'm just not going to scream about it." I wink at her. She brightens up a tad bit. "I'm taking a shower." I yell over my shoulder, continuing on my trek to the bathroom.

~

It was approximately 45 minutes later that I was dressed and sitting down stairs with Aleia, Kenna, Andy, and Elise. Mom had come in for a few minutes to bring us cookies inducing an awkward silence from Aleia and I. Mom and Aunt Gena weren't getting along right now. I hadn't bothered to pay attention when my Mom rattled off whatever excuse she told me.

In the end, I knew it was because Mom was going to do anything about Dad hitting me. It was a first time thing. I don't think that means Mom should go ape shit over it. I don't honestly know what Aunt Gena expects.

"These are awesome cookies, Mrs. Sanders." My Mom smiled at Elise.

"Oh, don't call me that. Just call me Val." Mom gave us a fleeting smile and walked out of the room. Aleia exhaled in relief.

"Your Mom is the shit! This cookies are fucking amazing." I smiled at Elise.

"Yeah, she's awesome, but shit is awkward around here right now." Aleia said, Elise raised her eyebrows. "Now is not a time to get into it. You hang around enough and I'm sure Meagan will fill you in. I'll tell you this though, it ain't rainbows and butterflies around here right now."

"Damn good thing to. I'm terrified of butterflies." I shivered in disgust at the image of one crawling on my arm.

"True story." Andy laughed.

We stopped talking for a few seconds as the door bell sounded from the other end of the house. Aleia was now giggling like preteen girl who just saw her celebrity crush.

"Do you think that's-"

"Oh my God! If you ask that one more fucking time, I'm going to rip your tongue from your mouth and feed it to Bella." McKenna snarled at her. Aleia cringed away from her. I don't blame her. You irritate Kenna enough she was terrifying.

"Sorry! I'm just so excited! I mean, they've been on tour for the better half of the year." Aleia points out.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to annoy the hell out of us." Aleia pouts and looks away. She mumbles a quick sorry under her breath. I give Andy a look and he sets about trying to cool Kenna off. Finally they both just get up and leave the room.

"Well that was awkward." Elise mutters.

"Everything is awkward lately." Aleia rolls her eyes.

"So who all is going to be here?"

"Um, well I know that Zoltan and-"

"You talking about me?" I heard a voice from the doorway. Aleia squeaks in excitement. I tilt my head back and laugh when I notice Zoltan is standing above me with a smirk on his face.

"Zoltan! My favorite Hungarian best friend!" He snorts. Elise's eyes were wide as she stared behind him. I stood to see who was behind him. "Urgh! Ivan! Jeremy!" I tackled Ivan to the floor and he went down with an 'oof.'

"Woah! I missed you too! Was it necessary to tackle me though?" Ivan laughs. I just nod into his neck. This guy was amazing. He was like that security blanket that everyone has, only I don't see him as much I would an actual blanket. Weird analogy, I know. I've stayed with Ivan and Jeremy plenty of times when I was younger when Dad was away on tour and Mom and Aunt Michelle would go out and meet them.

My home away from home. That was Ivan's house.

"You know it was! I missed you, Ivan. You are not allowed to go back on tour!"

"I feel so loved." Jeremy scoffs. I giggle and push myself off of Ivan.

"Jer! I missed you to, you're my Snuggle Buddy."

"Hear that! I'm was missed! Ha ha!" Jeremy picks me up and twirls me around. I squealed and wrapped my legs around his waist.

"Ivan! Don't let him drop me!" I clutch his shoulders in a death grip. Ivan guffaws and Elise was giggling. "Put me down! I need to introduce you to my friend."

"If I must." Jeremy lets out an exaggerated sigh.

As soon as my feet are placed safely on the floor, I turn and smack Jeremy. I'm completely ignoring the fact that being close to this man makes my stomach flutter in the same motion it does with Jimmy. I'm starting to think it's a drummer thing.

"Guys, this is my friend Elise. Met her the day I got suspended and she's fucking awesome. Elise, this is Zoltan, Ivan, and Snuggle Buddy." She snickers.

"Hello Zoltan, Ivan, and Snuggle Buddy."

"Gasp! No! You aren't allowed to call him Snuggle Buddy!"

She wails, "I'm sorry! What am I supposed to call him." She flings her hands to the sky.

"Jeremy! You're supposed to call him Jeremy! He's mine! Mine I tell you!"

"Possessive much."

"Only towards me." Jeremy winks at her.

'And Jimmy...' Not that I would ever say that out loud. I snuck a peek at Jeremy. He gives me that grin that's contagious. It's like... you see it and you're compelled to smile back.

~

About 6 hours later and I'm wedged in between Ivan and Jeremy with Elise, Zoltan, and Aleia on the other end of the couch. We're sitting in the living room, still, and were watching Step Brothers. In those 6 hours Corey Taylor and John 5 had come in and said hello. They'd watched maybe 20 minutes of the movie before my Dad came in asking for their help.

"Is the party in here or something?" Jimmy asks coming into the room.

"Well yeah, Snuggle Buddy and Elise are in here." I point out. Jimmy's smile seems forced as he sits in the chair that's diagonal to the couch.

"What am I? Chopped Liver?" Ivan asks sarcastically.

"I love you, Ivan." I tell him in my baby voice. "I just love Jeremy more." I see Jimmy's leg bounce out of the corner of my eye. I glance at him. He's glaring at Jeremy who is completely oblivious.

What the hell is his problem?

"Well, Meagan, I need to talk with you." Jimmy tells me. He pauses for a second and then stands. "Come on." He's more jittery then normal.

I get up and follow him into the kitchen. I raised my eyebrow at Jimmy as he leans against the cabinet. I feel like I'm fixing to go through an interrogation. He looks so angry and jittery. I step towards him and lean against the cabinet he was on. I nudge him and give him my signature dimpled smile.

"You okay Jim Jam."

"No." It was only until right then did I take in Jimmy's eyes.

They were glassy. I had no doubt that Jimmy had spent the last hour and a half getting drunk with the guys and whoever else had shown up. Jimmy was a fairly humorous drunk. There was always that one occasion though when he'd be angry and jealous.

I think now may be one of those times.

"What does he have that I don't?" Jimmy explodes. I jumped away from his flailing arms.

"Who?" I ask Jimmy.

"You know, things are just going to shit. I knew it would happen at some point. I mean, things have been odd between us lately. She wants a baby, I just don't think that's for me. Then she comes home and tells me that she's pregnant." Jimmy exhales sharply. So this is about Leanna. "3 months pregnant."

"Well... Jimmy. That's great. You're gonna be a Dad." The words burned in my throat. I felt sick.

"You don't understand... I haven't slept with her in 4 months." I felt my breath leave me in a whoosh.

"What." Jimmy looked so sad. All I wanted to do was wrap him in my arms and hold him.

"She cheated on me." He whispered. "She cheated." Tears were welling up in his eyes.

"Oh Jimmy. I'm so sorry." I wrapped my arms around him.

How could she do this to Jimmy. He was hands down, the sweetest man on Earth. You had to be with as big of a heart as he had.

This man held my heart. That bitch held his and she fucking threw that away like it was nothing. Like Jimmy didn't mean shit. How does that make any fucking sense. If she was here I was going to beat the shit out of her. Jimmy, or someone else could try to stop me. They won't be able to.

"Is she here?" I whisper. Jimmy shook his head no.

"No, she claims she's going to get her hair done. She did that last week though." Jimmy sniffles. "It seems like every girl I love wants someone else over me."

Who else did Jimmy love?

"Jimmy? What do you-"

"Hey, is everything okay?" Jeremy asks appearing in the door way. Jimmy tenses up and nods. He glares at him for a second then storms past him. "Um... ? Was it something I said." I shook my head no.

"Just having a hard time lately." I whispered.

He sits on the bar stool and rests his chin in his hand. He stares at me critically for a few seconds. I raise my eyebrows at him and his eyes crinkle a little. His attention is turned to the fridge where a picture of me and my Dad were from when I was 2.

Little bit of information: Before I went and fell in love with Jimmy. I had had this huge crush on Jeremy. It was pretty obvious when I was younger. It had been a harmless crush that tons of kids get. My parents and the guys had thought it was the cutest damn thing. Tell me I was going over to Ivan's, I was asking if Jeremy was there. If he wasn't, I was asking if he was going to come over.

Aleia and McKenna had teased me relentlessly about it. I eventually got black mail on Aleia, and that was her having a crush on my Dad. Kenna just got tired of teasing me eventually.

"Seems like everyone around here is having a hard time lately." Jeremy's voice broke my train of thought. "Want to tell me what's going on?"

I sat down in front of him. It was one of those two way bars things. Our legs were intertwined, but neither of us minded all that much. "Just a bunch of bullshit. Mom lost a baby, Dad's not dealing with the loss real well. That's honestly expected. He's been ignoring me a lot lately. The first time we held a conversation was a couple days ago. That didn't turn out to well."

"What happened?"

"Dad got mad that I ditched school. I'd gotten caught by Brian Bundy as I was leaving-"

"The same Brian Bundy that you had been dating?" He asked in amusement.

"The very same. Needless to say a fight broke out, I called him a shitty dad and then he hit me. First time he's ever done it." Jeremy's eyes were wide.

"He hit you."

"Yes! It was the first and last time." I insisted.

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. This is my Dad. He was well within his right. I was acting like a little bitch."

"I just don't like the fact the he turned to violence to take care of the situation." Jeremy's hand came out and touched my cheek. "Is that why it's slightly swollen?" He whispered.

"Yeah."

"You'll call me if he does it again?" I just nodded.

"Hey! Fuck face! We gotta get going." Ivan spoke from the doorway. I felt a whine leave my throat.

"I don't want you guys to leave." I wailed and tackled Zoltan. He caught me and held me for a few seconds and kissed my cheek.

"I promise we will come visit before we leave to go back on tour. Scout's honor." Zoltan said and held up three fingers.

"You're Hungarian." I pointed out. He winked. "Fine. Ivan, you are carrying me to the front door." I then hopped on his back. "Forward horsey."

He glared at me from over his shoulder. I dug my heels into him and he yelped. He then took off with me screaming at the top of my lungs. When we made it to the entryway, Mom, Dad, Jimmy and the guys were standing there. I hopped off of Ivan's back and hugged him before tackling Jeremy.

"I'm going to miss you Snuggle Buddy!" I whined.

He hugged me and whispered, "I'm just a call away." I grinned and nodded.

Unknown to the both of us, but very noticeable for Brian as he was watching. Jimmy was glaring at the two of us rather harshly. He snorted and stormed out of the room leaving confused occupants behind.

Brian narrowed his eyes and could only think, 'He couldn't... could he?'