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Leighanne watched as Brian stared longingly at AJ's retreating frame. She felt for him. She knew exactly how he felt. She knew how badly it felt to watch the one you love walk away from you. She closed her eyes and leaned back in the arm chair praying that the boys finished the sound check soon so that they could go back to the hotel. She was exhausted and all she wanted was to lie down for awhile before the concert.

She sighed heavily and rubbed her hands absentmindedly over her swollen stomach. It would be time to tell him soon. As hard as she tried she knew she couldn't keep it secret for much longer. She was blessed with a frame that made concealing her pregnancy easy. That along with the fact that she and Brian hardly ever saw each other made it easy for her to keep it from him. At eight months pregnant but barely looking like she was at all kept her exhausted and she wanted nothing more than to go back to Georgia and move on with her life. She couldn't do that however until they had talked this through. She was dreading this talk.

She knew how he would react. She could see the scenes playing in her mind like a bad wreck you couldn't tear your eyes from. He was going to be beyond furious that she kept it from him, and then he would react. He would try to bring their divorce proceedings to an immediate halt and insist on staying together for the good of their family. She knew she couldn't do that anymore. She couldn't force herself to remain in a marriage where he was absent. She had made her decision months ago; all that was left was to clue Brian in on what that decision was.

She laid in the chair and watched the boys gathering their things together. All she wanted was a hot shower and a long nap. Maybe she could fake sick and avoid going to the concert this evening. She was not looking forward to being on her feet all night. She just wanted to get the horrible confrontation over so she could go back to Atlanta. Maybe she could tell him soon. She hoped so, for her sake at least.

~*~

AJ boarded the van waiting to take them back to the hotel and groaned inwardly when he saw the only seat left was right next to Nick. He was scared shitless about the prospect of them going out the next evening and wanted some time alone. He wasn't looking forward to having to be next to Nick the entire van ride back. He plopped down next to Nick anyway and gave him a tired smile. Nick smiled back and leaned his head against the window beside him. AJ closed his eyes and leaned back against the van seat. "I'm so tired, how long is this fucking van ride going to take?" AJ asked.

Nick smiled at the tattooed man beside him. He couldn't believe he had actually convinced AJ to give him a chance. "I'm sorry J. It's going to be like 45 minutes or something. I don't get why they couldn't have found us a room somewhere closer. Stupid fuckers."

AJ groaned again and tried to get comfortable in the stiff van seats for a moment before getting frustrated and kicking the seat in front of him. Howie sprang up from the seat and glared back at AJ.

"What the fuck is your problem man?" Howie questioned angrily.

AJ smile sheepishly and shrugged. "Sorry D. I was just trying to get comfortable in these damn seats."

"Well sleep on the fucking floor and quit kicking my god damn seat!" Howie grumbled out before lying back down in his spacious seat.

Nick and AJ glanced at each other before laughing quietly. Sometimes Howie could be such a drama queen. Nick stretched out in his seat and unintentionally placed his arm on the back of AJ's seat. AJ leaned back onto it and nestled himself into Nick's arm. Nick smiled and pulled him closer kissing the top of his head. AJ could be so cute when he was sleepy. Nick settled back as well and enjoyed the quiet of the van. They were all so exhausted that all anyone wanted to do was sleep.

Nick knew he had to make good and sure of his feelings for AJ and soon. Especially before he kissed him again. He loved the older man sure, they were like brothers. But Nick had always felt a small attraction to the older man. It was growing larger and Nick only hoped it was because that was how he really felt and not because he was lonely. He closed his eyes and thought about the way AJ made him feel. He made him feel needed, like Nick could actually make a difference in his life. He enjoyed being the protector. He just wished he knew what it was he was protecting AJ from. He doubted he would ever get the older man to open up about what was bothering him. He had thought about asking Brian but was afraid if he did he may open up a can of worms that could hate AJ more and he really didn't want to do that. He sighed again and rested his head on top of AJ's and quickly fell asleep.

~*~

Brian had seen them curled up together as he and Leighanne had left the van. He couldn't have gotten out of there fast enough to keep his sanity. He left so quickly that he left Leighanne in the parking lot in a hasty attempt to get to his room before his tears consumed him. He collapsed on his hotel room bed in a fit of tears. He laid there for awhile before his hotel room door banged open and slammed shut. Leighanne stood at the foot of the bed and watched Brian falling apart. She picked up a pillow he had managed to kick to the floor and smacked him upside the head with it. He jerked up into a sitting position finally realizing that he wasn't alone in the room any longer.

"Sit up and stop this right now Brian." She demanded crossing her arms over her chest. "I have sat around and watched you blubbering on like an idiot for the past week. You cannot live your life this way. This has to stop. Right. Now."

He tried to speak, to tell his tale, to explain his reasoning, but she cut him off without a chance. "Yes I know your heart is broken and it's hard to see him with someone else, but you cannot continue to mope around like a beaten animal. It's time for you to step up and be a man. A man he could be proud of not some love sick teenager. Let him go. If he wants to be with Nick, or Howie, or the guy down the street you have to let him. This stops now Brian. I mean it."

He stared at her for a moment allowing her words to sink in. She was right. He knew it, he had known it all along. It was still hard to do however. She sat down beside and placed her arm around his shoulder. "We need to talk Brian."

He looked at her confused. They were already getting divorced, what was left to talk about?

"I have been keeping something from you. I know it was wrong but I needed to work it out on my own before I involved you in it. I have reached my decision and now it's time for you to make yours. I'm pregnant, Brian." She looked at him closely trying to gage his reaction.

He let out a deep breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding and met her eyes. "Are you sure?"

She laughed softly and placed his hand on her swollen stomach. It was unnoticeable if you weren't trying to see. She watched as his eyes grew wide. This was the first time he'd really touched her in months. "I'm eight months pregnant Brian. I didn't want to tell you, so I kept it a secret. I don't want to be a mother. I never wanted to be a mother. I figured I could skirt around the kid issue and I would be enough to keep your interest, but that wasn't the case. Now the decision is yours. If you do not want to raise the baby on your own I will look for adoptive parents, but the decision is yours alone. This is not something for us to discuss. I have been fighting with my decision for months now and I honestly believe it is the best decision for me." She watched him carefully for a moment.

He sat quietly playing with the ring on his finger. He would have to take that off soon as well. His mind was running a million miles a minute. Him a father? A single father? Could he do it? He knew without actually questioning it that there was no way he would ever let someone else have his child. "I want this Leigh, I have to do this. It may be just the thing I need to save me."

She smiled softly at him. She knew this would be the decision he made. "Are you sure Brian, because you have to be 110% sure about this. There will be no turning back."

He nodded furiously and swooped her up in his arms. He hugged her closely and kissed her mouth softly before pulling away. He laid his hands on her stomach and realized for the first time how much was really changing. He hadn't even noticed the roundness in her stomach or the way she was exhausted all of the time. They sat back down on the bed but remained in one another's embrace.

"I'm going to pack my things and leave. I want to be home, I want to go back to Atlanta. I will stay there until the baby comes, but you've got to get it together Brian. It's not going to be just you anymore Brian. Your child will be depending on you. You can't still be hung up on AJ while trying to raise a baby, you'll never make it."

She hugged him tightly. Her heart was breaking at the thought of leaving, but she couldn't stay, not anymore. There was no room for her in Brian's life anymore. Brian nodded and hugged her goodbye. They were ending their life together but at the same time she was bringing new life into Brian's life. He could hardly wait to see what the future held. He just prayed he could keep it all together.