The Elastic Heart Trilogy: Roads Untraveled

Jen felt her entire world come crashing down around her as she stared at the pregnancy test lying on the sink. It was positive. Her eyes moved onto the test beside that one where it read the same result. Four different tests all saying the same thing. Pregnant.

A few tears fell from Jen's eyes as she went to grab the phone and call her doctor. She prayed that they'd be able to squeeze her in and she could confirm what the tests were saying. Luckily someone had just canceled and Jen was able to snatch up the appointment. Hanging up the phone she glanced at the clock before heading into her bedroom to get dressed.

She didn't care what she looked like. It wasn't like she needed to impress anyone. Her stomach was in knots and all she wanted to know is if she was really pregnant or not. If she was she didn't know what she was going to do. She wouldn't be able to finish college when she wanted but she didn't care. It wasn't going anywhere and her baby was more important.

Walking out of the doctor's office Jen slowly made her way to her car and climbed into the driver's seat. As soon as the door was shut a single tear fell from her eyes. She thought she and Mike had always been careful but she knew it only took one time for it to happen. One time to change everything. Now she struggled with how to tell everyone and who to tell first. Mike was the father didn't he deserve to know first?

Starting the car Jen took a deep breath before putting the car into drive. She didn't want to just blurt it out to him but she didn't want to beat around the bush either. Turning up the radio Jen decided that she'd figure it out once she got there. Mike had been distant lately but he loved her. He would be there for her and love her and their baby no matter what.

She knew that he'd been busy in the studio and that's more than likely where he would be. The receptionist smiled at her when she walked in and allowed her to go into the control room. No one seemed to notice her at first but within a few minutes Cali looked over from her seat on the couch and rushed over.

"Hey I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Yeah um.." Jen was trying hard to keep calm but her emotions were already getting the best of her. "I just need to talk to Mike."

"Is everything alright?" Cali asked but didn't get an answer as Mike walked over and greeted Jen with a kiss on the cheek.

"This is a nice surprise. What's up?"

"Can we talk? I know you're busy and--"

"No, we were actually going to take a break. I was actually wanting to talk to you too. Let's go somewhere a little more quiet."

Nodding Jen took Mike's extended hand and followed him to a waiting area not to far from the studio they were recording in. Once they were seated Mike began to talk.

"What did you want to talk about? Is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure." Jen was now playing with the hem of her shirt. It was something she did when she was nervous. "I went to the doctor today."

"Yeah? You said you haven't been feeling that great. Is it the flu or something?"

She shook her head and blinked back her tears. "No."

"Then what is it?" Mike scooted closer and took her hand in his. "What's wrong baby?"

She couldn't help but let a few tears fall when the word 'baby' came out of his mouth. "I thought that it might be the flu but.. that was until I realized that I'm late."

Mike stared at her as the color began to drain from his face. "Are you saying..."

"I bought four different pregnancy tests. They were all positive so I went to the doctor and.. I'm pregnant."

Jen noticed the way he let go of her hand. It was as if she was fire that was burning his hand. Mike got to his feet and began to pace. The vision in her head of Mike being okay was her pregnancy was fading fast. She was now scared of what he might do or say.

"Are you keeping it?"

She blinked. Abortion was not an option in her eyes. "Yes."

Mike stopped pacing and closed his eyes. He wasn't ready to be a father. All of his dreams were coming true and the band being successful was all he ever wanted. He knew he'd never be able to band and a baby. Not right now anyway. The band was his top priority.

"I don't want it."

It was now Jen who turned white. "What?"

"I don't want the baby. I can't be a father right now."

The tears that she had desperately tried to keep in were now spilling down her cheeks. Mike didn't want their baby. Did that mean that he didn't want her too?

"What about us?"

Mike opened his eyes and looked at her. He'd been doing a lot of thinking lately and he realized that even though he was falling in love with her he couldn't be with her the way he wanted to. She deserved better and now that she was pregnant he needed to end things while he still could. He had to let her go.

"We can't be together Jenna. I just.. I want to focus on my career. I've worked hard for this and.. I won't let you or a baby come between that."

Mike watched as Jen got up from the couch and headed towards the exit. He had seen the tears streaming down her cheeks and as much as he wanted to pull her in his arms and tell her everything would be okay he couldn't. It was better this way. He just hoped that someday she'd be able to forgive him for the decision he made to leave her and their baby behind.



Jen sobbed into her dad's shoulder. She didn't hesitate in running to him and telling him about her pregnancy. She thought if anyone would be mad it would be him but to her surprise he pulled her into his arms and told her that he was there for her. He knew all about being a single parent at a young age and didn't want his little girl to go through the same thing. Now that she was he was going to be there for her no matter what.

She hadn't told anyone else yet but Cali had overheard the entire conversation she'd had with Mike. She knew something was wrong by the way Jen was acting and made sure she was close enough to hear everything that was said. The young heiress didn't hesitate to give Mike a piece of her mind, even going so far as to slap him across the face. The rest of the band knew about Jen's pregnancy and weren't very supportive of Mike's decision. They knew he could have handled it better but they were his friends and talked to him after Cali grabbed her purse and stormed out of the building.

"Princess, I can stay with you tonight if you want me to."

She shook her head. "Thank you Daddy but.. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure? You know I don't mind."

"I'm sure. I need to.. I need to tell the guys."

"Alright." He said and kissed her forehead like he did so many times when she was little. "If you change your mind just give me a call and I'll be right over."

Jen waited until her Dad left to call Jimmy. He could always tell when something was wrong with her and told her that he'd round up the guys and come over. While she waited Cali showed up. She didn't even get the chance to say hello when Cali grabbed her and hugged her.

"Mike's a prick and you and that baby are better off without him."

Jen pulled away and looked at her. "He told you?"

"Nope. I was listening behind the door." She confessed. "I could tell something was wrong and I wanted to make sure you were okay. Why didn't you tell me?"

The brunette swallowed the lump in her throat and stepped aside to let Cali into her condo.

"I thought that Mike should know first."

"Yeah well I slapped him for you. Fucker deserves worse but I'm not about to waste my energy on him." Cali made her way into Jen's kitchen for a drink just as the guys showed up. They all headed into the living room and sat down on anything they could find. Most on the couch and chairs. Johnny the only one on the floor.

"What's wrong Butterfly?" Jimmy asked kissing Jen's cheek. He had pulled her into his lap shortly after he sat down and needed to know what was going on.

"I'm... I'm gonna have a baby." She mumbled. The guys weren't sure if they had heard her right but Jimmy heard her loud and clear.

"I'm gonna be an Uncle?" She nodded. "Fuck YEAH!"

"How long have you known?" Matt asked.

"I went to the doctor at one."

"What did Mike say when you told him?" Johnny asked.

Jen looked down at her lap as a few tears fell from her eyes. "He doesn't want the baby.. and he broke up with me."

The room was dead quiet for several seconds before Zacky got up from the couch and walked over to Jen, pulling her into a hug. Johnny and Matt followed but Brian never moved. It was as if he was glued to the chair he was sitting on.

Cali looked at Brian and couldn't help but notice the look on his face. If looks could kill... "Boogie?"

Without a word Brian got up and walked out of the condo. He was glad that he had drove his own car because he couldn't stand to be in there for another second.



Brian Sr. walked into his living room just after his front door slammed shut. He saw his oldest son pacing back and forth, his hands in his dark hair as if he were trying to rip it out of his scalp.

"You may want to stop that. You may need that hair later on."

Brian stopped pacing and glared at his dad. "I don't need your shit right now old man."

"Why don't you calm down and tell me what's wrong?" Brian Sr. took a cautious step towards Brian. He never acted like this and he knew that something was seriously wrong.

"You want to know what's wrong?" He practically ripped his jacket off and threw it as hard as he could against the wall. "Jenna's pregnant. That's what's wrong." No sooner did the words come out of his mouth Brian sunk down onto the couch. Walking over Brian Sr. sat down beside him.

"She's pregnant? Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. She just fucking told everyone. I want to kill him Dad. I really want to kill him."

"Why?"

"He dumped her the second she told him and now.. she's gonna have to raise that baby alone." Brian's emotions were getting the best of him and he wasn't sure why but his father knew. Everyone knew. Brian had been madly in love with Jen for years. He was just too scared to tell her.

"You need to calm down Junior." He said placing a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. "Tell me what you're thinking. What you're really thinking."

Brian looked at his dad and sighed. "She looked so broken Dad. I want to make her pain go away. Reassure her that everything's gonna be okay but I don't know how to do that. She doesn't deserve this and neither does her baby."

"You're right, they don't deserve it but I get the feeling that you're not telling me something. Spill it."

"I need some advice."

"On what?"

"Being a father."

He blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm going to be that baby's father but I need to know what to do. You're the only one that can help me."

Brian Sr. sighed. "Being a father is a big responsibility. Are you sure you're up for that?"

"Yes. I don't want that baby to grow up without a father. It's not the baby's fault that Mike Shinoda is a douchebag that didn't love it enough to stick around."

"How does Jenna feel about you wanting to be a father to her baby?"

"She doesn't know. I stormed out after she told us."

"You're a fucking idiot." Brian Sr. shook his head. "This is all the advice that I'm going to give you. If you're serious about this then I'm behind you but you can't change your mind when things start getting tough. You're either in a hundred percent or not at all. You also need to apologize for leaving and let her know that you're going to be there for her and.. if she tells you that she's doing this along then you need to respect that. You can still be there for her and the kid but not as it's Daddy."

Brian nodded. "Thanks Dad.. I mean Grandpa." Getting up he grabbed his jacket and rushed out the front door.

"I'm too fucking young to be a Grandpa."



The ringing of the doorbell caught everyone's attention. Jen had hope that maybe it was Mike on the other side of the door and he'd changed his mind about her and their baby. Getting to her feet she made her way to the front door and opened it.

"Hey."

"Hey Bri." She said softly. She was hurt by the way he stormed out earlier and was surprised that he had come back.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I just..."

She shook her head. "It's alright. I understand."

"No actually.. you don't. Can we talk?"

"Um sure, everybody's still here though."

"I don't care."

"Okay." Stepping aside Jen waited until Brian was inside and shut the door behind him. He bypassed the living room where the guys and Cali were still sitting and went straight into Jen's bedroom. She didn't hesitate to follow.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Brian closed and locked the door before turning to look at her. "The baby."

"What about it?" She placed her hands on her stomach without realizing it. Brian smiled.

"I uh.. I wanted to tell you that I'm here for you and your baby."

She smiled. "Thank you Brian."

"I'm not done." He said. "I talked to my Dad before I came back over here. I needed some advice and.. he told me to either be in a hundred percent or not at all and.. I want to be in a hundred percent."

Jen looked at him confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He chuckled softly and shoved his hands in his pockets. "When I said that I'm here for you and your baby I meant I'm here for the long haul. I'll feed it, change diapers, give baths. Whatever it is that you need done. I'll take it to Lakers games, play tea party, whatever it wants to do. I'll teach it how to drive and if it's a girl I'll walk her down the aisle when she gets married..."

Jen's mouth went dry and she took a step towards him. "Are you saying that you..."

He nodded and looked her straight in the eyes. "I want to be your baby's father. Now I understand if you don't want--" He was cut off and nearly crashed into the wall when she jumped into his arms.

"Thank you." Tears were streaming down her cheeks and Brian couldn't help but wrap his arms around her.

"Don't thank me Cupcake. I know how much it hurt to not have your mom around and I am not going to let your baby grow up without a father." He pulled back enough to look at her and gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "You can count on me. I'm not going anywhere."

"But.. I don't understand why. You have your whole life ahead of you. Why would you want to drop everything for my baby?"

Brian licked his dry lips and stared at her. He could never tell her that one of the reasons he wanted to do this was because he loved her. He even already loved her baby just because it was a part of her.

"Because your baby didn't deserve to have it's sperm donor be a fucking pussy and run away when things got to be too serious. No matter what happens with the band or what kind of job I have I am always going to be here for ourbaby. If you'll let me.."

"You have no idea how much that means to me. When you left I thought.."

"I know what you thought and no, I was never mad at you. All the anger I have is against him. I just needed to get out of here before I did something stupid. You have no idea how bad I want to bash his head against the wall but I won't. It's not going to do you or the baby any good if I'm in jail. You two are everything to me and I'm going to do everything I can to be the best Dad I can be."

"You do know that this may complicate your sex life?"

Brian laughed. "I don't care. I'm sure I can always use the baby's cuteness factor to score me some girls?"

"Um, no." Jen chuckled. "You are not using my baby to get laid."

"Alright. So.. can I be your baby's father?"

Jen looked into his eyes and could tell that he was serious. None of the other guys had offered to step up like this. They all said they'd be there and were excited to be Uncle's but Brian really seemed to want to be the Daddy to her baby. There was no way that she could deny him that.

"Yes Brian. You can be the father to my baby."