Navigate Me Through Your Body

"Baby, please," Zack pleaded, laying down the shirt he was folding.

"Zaaaaack," Harlow wined, "I'm huge, I'm uncomfortable..." as she laid flat, her hands resting on the beach ball she was being forced to call her belly, she couldn't even see her feet.

"Har, this is the last tour before the baby comes, I really want you to be there. I don't want to be away from you...I want to spend this time with you. And I would feel better if you were there with me..."

Larry had called just a few days ago and had informed them that they would be doing a twenty show club tour, which normally everyone would have been thrilled about but with their impending arrival everyone was more on edge than anything.

"What about Thanksgiving?" Harlow asked.

"The last show is the Tuesday before, you have my word we'll be home in time for Thanksgiving dinner." Zack sat down beside her on the bed, rubbing his hand around her belly, "Please?"

Harlow sat up, pulling her knees to her chest staring deep into Zack's emerald eyes.

"And what about the fans?" she asked seriously, he arched an eyebrow.

Clearly he didn't understand where she was going with this.

"What about them?" she offered a cynical laugh pulling her pregnant body from the bed as she began to pace the room.

"Um, lets see," she quipped sarcastically, "you left Gena, whom, most of the fans loved. You broke off your engagement to her, all the while you got engaged again, oh and did I forget to mention your going to be a father," she groaned pointing to her stomach, "to a baby that, for your information was conceived while they thought you were together. I don't think I'm ready for that ridicule, thank you very much."

Zack let out a loud sigh, hastily running his hands through his hair.

He had never given that any thought...

In his mind that had never seemed like an issue.

Zack walked over to Harlow, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. "Hey..." Harlow refused to look him in the eyes. He instead released one of his arms placing two fingers under her chin lifting it so their eyes would meet, "I don't care what they think, the people that matter already know the truth. But if it will make you feel better, I will get on the website and write something up."

Harlow let out a loud sigh.

"I don't know Zack...I'll think about it okay?" she hesitated before pulling herself away from Zack, "I'm going to go to bed...I'm exhausted." as she walked away Zack pulled on her arm.

"Hey..." he groaned, giving her a pout.

"What?" she asked, raking her fingers through her ponytail.

"can I at least have a good night kiss?" she thought for a second before nodding. He pressed his lips softly to hers, "I'll be to bed soon okay?" she just nodded as she slipped under the covers and turned the light on her side of the bed off.

Zack walked down the hallway, Ichabod in tow.

Zack made his way to his office.

He took a seat behind the desk as he opened a word document. The display on his MacBook was almost blinding. He didn't have to think for long as he began to type.

XXX

Harlow smiled as Chloe walked towards her. Her arms opened wide as they engulfed in a long hug, Chloe pulled back, looking Harlow's baby belly over as she rubbed it excitedly.

"Oh my God! I have missed you so much!" Chloe squealed.

"Me too!" Harlow chorused excitedly.

"And look at this!" she said pointing to Harlow's stomach, "Baby girl is getting huge!"

Chloe had been gone for the past two months, she had been working Warped tour running the Syn Gates Clothing booth, which, had been a strategic move on Michelle's part, since Brian and Chloe had always had a little...thing for each other.

The two girls made their way into the spa, "Can I help you ladies?" the blonde asked from behind the counter.

"We have pedicures scheduled for noon," Harlow said sweetly pulling her phone from her purse, "Harlow Kensington and Chloe Preisly,"

"Were ready for you ladies if you'll just follow me,"

The girls rolled up their jeans and slipped their feet into the hot bubbling water.

"So," Harlow started as she leaned her head back onto the head rest of the leather chair, "tell me everything," Chloe groaned, placing her hands over her face, obviously embarrassed.

"Can't we just pretend this tour never happened?"

"hey," Harlow said as she began to laugh, "I got pregnant on the last tour I went on, so as long as you're not pregnant, you've already done better than I did." Chloe offered a crooked smile.

"You've got me there..." she said, offering a crooked smile and a hesitant laugh, "you remember that year on Warped where you made out with that guy from A Day to Remember? Jeremy McKinnon?" Harlow laughed.

"Oh my God, yes!" she snorted she laughed so hard, "Zack still doesn't know about that!"

"Well," Chloe twiddled her thumbs as her face turned a bright shade of red, "I can officially top that..."

"Shut...up. Tell me!" Chloe closed her eyes.

"Nate Motte..." she managed to mumbled. Harlow raised an eyebrow.

"Nate Motte..." she mumbled, "Nate Motte...why does that sound so familiar?" she asked glancing over at Chloe.

"3OH!3" Chloe very hesitantly mumbled. Harlow's mouth fell open.

"Ew!" she squealed, "You made out with the long haired gross guy from 3OH!3?" Chloe scrunched her face, "Oh my God...you slept with him..." Chloe just let out a deep breath.

"No, thank God..." Harlow just let out a sigh of relief for her friend, "I just...missed Brian, ya know?" Harlow's heart ached for her best friend, after all, she had been in that spot for years.

"I totally understand. I mean...Zack and I are engaged and I still feel like the other woman. And God forbid his fans find out. I mean he betrayed Gena? Oh and did I tell you he wants me to go on tour? I mean what am I suppose to say when a fan goes 'oh you're pregnant? Thats so cool who's the dad?' because I can't say 'Zack, oh and by the way were engaged' and flash my ring..."

"And I'm sure Zack doesn't understand...at all." Harlow just shook his head.

"Not one bit, and Val, Michelle, Lacey and Leanna have been like...texting me constantly begging me to go..." she said, clearly worried, "I just feel like I can't win right now, ya know?"

As irritated as Harlow had been the past few days, girl talk with Chloe was exactly what she needed.

XXX

"So," Zack hesitated, the guys all sat scattered around his office, "what do you guys think?" all the guys gave him curious and confused stares. He had tried to work on a statement last night, but nothing came to mind, so instead when he woke up and Harlow had already left for a girls day out with Chloe, he decided to call the guys over.

"I'm in the same place as you..." Matt spoke honestly, "I guess in my mind this really wasn't an issue. We all know the truth, ya know?" Brian, Johnny and Jimmy all nodded in agreement.

"Our fans are pretty awesome," Brian said, shrugging his shoulders, "and they love Harlow, shes been around as long as Val...and they all know who she is."

"Dude, just be honest." Jimmy said, as if it weren't already the most obvious thing in the world, "If they're really fans, they won't give two shits, or they'll be supportive..."

"Dude I'm going to go order a fucking pizza," Johnny groaned, pulling his small body from the chair. Brian, Matt and Jimmy all perked up, following quickly behind him, but Matt hesitated for a moment.

"If you can't find the right words..." he mumbled honestly, as he grabbed a picture off of one of the shelves, handing it to Zack, "then show them."

Zack looked at the picture as Matt left the room. It was an old one, from years back, it had been taken in his parents back yard almost eighteen years ago. Zack and Harlow were both children, they were both smiling from ear to ear, holding hands. He was ten when it was taken, and Harlow was just eight.

Zack sat down the picture before closing his word document, looking at the wallpaper on his computer. It was a 3D sonogram of Scarlett. He felt his cheeks raise into a smile.

It was then he opened up another word document and began to write.

A note form Zacky V,

I've been dwelling the past few days on the exact words I've wanted to write. How do you tell your fans, the people who have carried you, supported you and become family, something so personal? But it was brought to my attention that honesty was the way to go. I know it wont be easy, but I owe this to you, to myself and to my family. So here it goes...

Growing up was everything I thought it would never be, I was always told I would be older before I fell in love, but that was a lie (for me anyways). When I was ten a new family moved in across the street, and at ten I knew what I felt in my heart for the blue eye little girl wasn't normal. What I didn't expect was to grow up and fall in love with that girl, but the best part was, she loved me too. That girl is Harlow, a part of our crew you all know so well. And though I have been involved with Gena for the past few years, I have called things off.

Harlow and I are engaged. We haven't set a date for our wedding yet, but we know it will be sometime next year, after the birth of our first child...which by the way, we are expecting sometime in December.

I know this probably seems like a huge turn around, but in reality, its not. This has been the most comfortable and natural transition I have ever gone though. And honestly, I can never remember a time when I have been so happy. Loving Harlow is as easy as breathing, and I cannot wait to hold our daughter for the first time.

I am in no way asking for your approval, I am however, asking for your support and your continued dedication during this time. We also ask for you to respect our privacy, as this is an incredibly intimate time in our lives.

I look forward to seeing you all at the shows.

With love, ZV

Zack quickly searched his hard drive, he had two pictures in mind. He searched, smiling as he attached the pictures to what would become his blog post. The first one was a picture of Zack and Harlow before Zack's senior prom, Harlow had been his date, and the other picture was Harlow in a black graduation robe, smiling widely as she grasped her Law diploma from USC, Zack was kissing her cheek. He took a deep breath, hitting 'submit'.

Now he could only hope, and pray his fans would be accepting, because this was the life he for years, had only been able to dream about.