After Charlie had decided she would move in, I made up my mind to go and see Brian. I knew that Charlie had seen Brian, because she rang me, once he'd dropped her at Hannah's, letting me know that she'd told him about the baby. I stood on his doorstep and rang the bell.

I turned and dropped the dumbbells onto the floor, sitting up to catch my breath for a moment. Then, getting up, I went over and turned off the stereo and grabbed my towel and ran upstairs. As I reached the top, I heard the doorbell. I quickly wiped my face again and went to open the door. As I saw who had dropped by, my the whole body went stiff. This was going to be uncomfortable.

"Umm.. hi, Nick"

"Hey, Brian... Thought I'd stop by and see you"

"Oh... hey, that's cool. Haven't seen ya in a while." gesturing him to the couch

"Yeah like wise"

"What.. umm.. have you been up to?"

"Oh, the usual really, you know... You?

"I, uh.. been busy trying to figure a few things out and working on stuff maybe for next album."

"Oh right... Anything interesting?”

" For the album? No, not really, just bits and pieces. But umm... there is something that is weighing pretty heavy on me and I uh.. I need to tell you." wringing his hands and sounding very nervous

"What's up, Man? I mean, you can tell me anything. We're like brothers, everything will be ok. But, I'd warn you though, the next time you talk to your girl, I'd be careful. I bumped into her the other day and damn, she did not look happy"

"Did she tell you anything?" hoping that Charlie hadn't told him already, before he got the chance

"Yeah, she told me a few things. She told me that things weren't good with her and Natalie. I hope they patch things up, the same as I hope Natalie and I can sort things out. I think she just needs a lot of TLC at the moment"

"I know.. boy, don't I know. I'm just not in the right place to give it to her. I wish I could. "

As he got up, He began to pace, debating on how to tell him. He pretty much figured out that Nick was baiting him. He already knew. He just wanted to get it out and over with. Finally, turning around he drove right in.

" Let's cut the crap. I already know that you know and yes, I'll admit it. Nick, I cheated with your girl."

I stare at him for a moment. "You son of a bitch! How could you do that?" I yelled. "I half hoped that when Charlie came to me completely devastated, that what she was telling me wasn't true. But, it is! Are you proud of yourself? You've screwed up the best thing that ever happened to you and you took the one person I love away!"

"Don't you think I know that? Yes, I made a terrible mistake that I’ll regret for the rest of my life. If I could take it back, I would. I never meant for anything to happen, I swear! But you! You are the one that drove her to see me!. And now, you say you love her? I don't believe that for one minute. If you loved her, you wouldn’t have been treating her like dirt, for I don’t know how long! “

"Oh, so, it's all my fault is it? Right, I get it. I forced you guys to drink alcohol, then I forced you guys to start kissing and shit like that. Damnit, I know I messed up with Natalie, but I would have tried to put things straight, so don't use me as an excuse. The reason it happened is because your girl wasn't giving you what you wanted, so you looked elsewhere"

“No, you didn’t force us to do anything. But, you were the motivating cause for her to come to me in the first place, in hopes that she could get to you. You, for some reason or another, up and left her and she didn’t know what to do. YOU abandoned her, not me. Would you have fixed things? To me, it sounded like things were pretty clear that you wanted no part of it! I was the one that was there to help her pick up the pieces. Not you, not Charlie, not anyone else. I wasn’t looking to sleep with her. I was there as a FRIEND, which is more than I can say for you!”

"Yes, I would have fixed things. I needed time to sort my head and my feelings out first. I blame myself for pushing Natalie away, but I am not to blame for you two almost sleeping together and neither is Charlie! You wanna blame someone, Brian, blame your stupid self. Maybe, if Charlie didn't have to worry about being knocked up by an asshole like you, then she would have been there for her best friend"

“ Who are you calling an asshole? It’s not my fault she got pregnant! We used protection. Maybe, she forgot to take hers, who knows! I should have stopped it when I had half a mind to, but I didn’t. A part of me didn’t want to either. For the first time, in a long time, someone actually needed me, even wanted me. And... at the time.. it.. it was too hard to ignore. “

"Just admit it, you screwed up. Screwed up big time. I hope you pay dearly for it. You can kiss our friendship goodbye and if Charlie has any sense, she'll get rid of the reminder of you"

"She won't. I know it... Because, she still loves me.. "

" I'd love to see you proved wrong"

"I'm sure you would. I guess we'll see who's right, won't we? And, I will be on top"

"Is that so? Well, if you're right and coming out on top, then why is your EX girlfriend living with me?"

" I don't know. Probably, because you convinced her to. Out of spite, I'm sure. Trying to play the sympathetic hero"

"Oh, you'd love that wouldn't you? Well, actually, it was that, or she would have moved back to California"

The thought hadn't crossed his mind. 'Would she really move back home and never come back?' thinking on it for a moment. She wouldn't. She was carrying his child. She wouldn't deny him his own child would she? No, she couldn't be that cruel. I guess I should be thankful that he kept her here.

"Thanks... Thanks for keeping her here" he mumbled

"I'm doing it for her, so don't thank me" I say and walk out