Navigate Me Through Your Body

Harlow sat in the dark candle lit bathroom, the hot water engulfing her tired pregnant body. She ran her hands through the water pushing at the bubbles, she bit helplessly at her lip as she continued to cry.

It had been six days since the wedding, Harlow and Matt had never found Zack. It had seemed like she had been crying every waking moment since. All she could think about was the look in Zack's eyes. How hurt he was...it killed her to know she had done that to him.

She had turned her phone off days ago, it seemed to ring non-stop, and in all honesty she didn't want to talk to anyone.

The only person she wanted to talk to, hated her.

But a knock came form the other side of the bathroom door. She sniffled, quickly reaching up wiping her hands across her face in hopes of ridding them of the tear stains. "Harlow?" Matt's deep voice called.

"Come in," she said softly as the door swung open. He was in black gym shorts and a cut off Affliction shirt, he looked just as worn out, if not more than Harlow.

"How you doing?" Matt asked softly, taking a seat on the side of the bathtub.

She bit at her lip looking deep into the mans hazel eyes. Her eyes blinking in a desperate attempt to fight the tears. Rather than answering, she just shook her head.

"just...thanks for being here Matty,"

Matt took her hand on his, only to hold it tighter. "You may be Zack's girl," he said simply, "but you were my best friend first..."

Matt and Harlow's mothers were sisters, though they didn't talk much on the subject, not because they didn't want to, they just didn't feel the need to dwell on the idea that they shared DNA, after all they were all family and no laboratory test could tell them otherwise.

Harlow would be the one to introduce Matt and Zack years later.

Harlow and Matt had always shared a special bond. He was the big brother she never had. And after the wedding fiasco, he and Val had insisted that she stay at there place and they take care of her.

"do you need anything?" he asked, pulling her from her thoughts, she shook her head.

"have you heard from him?" Matt took a deep breath, exhaling painfully slow.

"No, from what I understand, nobody even knows where he is..." tears began streaming down her face, Matt just reached up, wiping at her tears with the pad of his thumb. He hated seeing her like this.

XXX

The living room was silent, all except for the sounds of the game playing on the television.

"Call it now," Brian said flatly taking a sip of the beer.

"Dodgers all the way," Zack said taking one last hit of his cigarette before placing it in the ash tray, "Colorado fucking blows this year," Brian nodded leaning back father in the chair.

"I'll take that..." he said simply as the room went quiet again.

Zack had been hauled up staying with Michelle and Brian ever since the wedding. He wasn't answering calls, texts, or emails. He wanted nothing to do with anyone. After the wedding he drove all night, he ended up somewhere in Arizona before he turned around and showed up on his best friends doorstep at four a.m. angry and resentful.

Brian had happily agreed to let him stay with the promise he wouldn't tell anyone where he was, nor that he had even heard from him, after all had he been in the same position he would have wanted Zack to do the same for him, Michelle however, was none too happy that Brian had signed them up for this . She had heard from Val what a mess Harlow was, and she along with everyone else was no longer just concerned about Harlow, but the health of the baby.

But the doorbell echoed throughout the house. It was silent as Brian and Zack looked from each other, to the front door only to repeat the pattern again. But the doorbell rang once more as Pinkly tore through the house barking as he slid across the hardwood floors.

"Michelle! Baby!" Brian shouted towards the kitchen, "Can you get that!" angry footsteps made there way through the house.

"Are your legs fucking broken?!" she snapped nearly ripping the door off the hinges as she pulled it open.

"Hey," Brian's eyes went wide as he heard Val's voice.

"Come in," Michelle stated simply, Brian hopped up grabbing at Zack's shirt preparing to pull him through the house.

The last thing they needed was for Val to find out where Zack was, because she would go tell Matt...and that certainly wouldn't end good.

"Freeze!" Michelle screamed, only for Brian and Zack to both go still. It was as if she had read his thoughts...

"What are you-" Val started as she walked into the living room, "oh...my God! You're here!?" she screamed at Zack, who just rolled his eyes as he grabbed his beer and fell into his chair, "Has he been here this whole time?" she screamed looking from Brian who looked about as guilty as a fox in a hen house, to Michelle, who crossed her arms over her chest.

"I had nothing to do with this," she stated simply.

"Fucking thanks," Brian snapped at Michelle who had clearly just thrown him under the bus.

"You are fucking kidding me!" Val screamed as she marched over standing in front of Zack, "You've been here this whole time! While Harlow is busy miserable and hating herself?"

"Fuck her," Zack snapped, pure hatred dripping from every word.

"Excuse me!" Val screamed, "If you ask me? She did the right fucking thing! You'd be a shitty father anyways!" but Zack stood up, getting in Val's face.

"Fucking take it back!" he screamed, but she just rolled her eyes.

"No," she said simply.

"Take it back," he demanded. But instead of responding Val pulled a DVD form her purse, quickly dropping it into the player before letting it load.

Zack watched as an ultrasound popped up on the screen, a swooshing sound filling the room

"I won't take it back!" Val finally screamed, pointing at the screen tears streaming down her face, "I won't take it back because that's your baby Zack! She is inside Harlow, and by leaving Harlow, you have left her. I know what Harlow did was wrong, but it was wrong of you to use Harlow because you and Gena can't fucking keep it together! She wasn't going to let you use this baby like you used her! She was thinking like a mother! She wanted the best for this baby! And for that, I do not blame her! And you are such a coward for the way you've handled things. That is your daughter Zack, you may not be anything to Harlow, but you will be this little girl's daddy. You should be her superhero, not her nemesis."

Zack sat back down in the chair, elbows resting on his knees as he watched the screen.

It was like a switch had been turned on.

Zack had been blaming this entire mess on Harlow, when in reality, he had created this mess for his self.

But his eyes began to tear up, what hit him hardest of all, was being called daddy. He had never acknowledged the idea he was going to be a father, sure he had a child on the way, but to be a daddy, that held an entirely different meaning.

"Where is she?" he asked, standing as he pulled his car keys out of his pocket as he wiped the tears. Val reached up wiping her own eyes as she shook her head.

"No Zack..."

"Please Val," he pleaded.

"I won't let you hurt her again...and I certainly wont let you hurt this child."

"Whatever," he snapped pushing past her, "I'll fucking find her," and he slammed the door behind him, he got into his car and drove.

He ended up at Harlow's place, but he knew the second he didn't see her Range Rover sitting in the driveway that she was not home, but she was with Matt.

Zack drove as fast as he could, taking every short cut he could possibly think of, and before he knew it he was standing at Matt's door step, pounding frantically on the door. It was just moments before the door swung open, revealing the behemoth of a man. But the second Matt caught a glimpse of Zack, hatred filled his eyes.

"I suggest you fucking get out of here," his deep voice snapped as his body blocked him from getting into the house.

"I know shes here, just please let me see her,"

"Fucking leave Zack!" Matt snapped. But everything seemed to stop when a woman's voice carried through the room.

"Matt? Is everything okay?"

"Go upstairs!" Matt demanded, but Zack caught a peek of Harlow, she stopped dead in her tracks, her hands instantly finding there way to her round stomach.

"Zack," she mumbled simply.