Expect the Unexpected (Zack Merrick/All Time Low)

Chapter Thirty Three

after this, it is the last chapter. Sorry it isn't as stellar as I'd like it to have been.

----------------

Alex sat in the fluorescent lit waiting room; the usual hospital scent was enough to make him feel nauseous. He truly hated the hospital, it didn't matter the reason for being in one he hated it. Over a PA system somebody paged a doctor, at the desk across from where he was sitting a group of nurses milled about, some doing paper work and others in and out, checking charts and what not. To his right sat Jack, his head was rested on Alex's shoulder and his eyes were drooping. Victoria sat next to him silently reading some old magazine she'd found in a pile on a stand in the room.

Rian sat in a row of chairs along the other side of the room; quietly he hummed to himself, a cup of hours old coffee in his hands. He looked nervous, what did he have to be nervous over? Then there was Zack. He was sitting off on his own; his head tilted back gazing at the ceiling. Alex didn't know what he was doing, but it looked as if he were counting ceiling tiles. Honestly, Alex didn't care what Zack was doing, he was impressed the guy even bothered to show up.

Approximately four hours ago, Alex had got a phone call from Codi saying that he had to meet them at the hospital. He had gone out for a few drinks with a few random friends, since there was nothing going on with him and Erika; he hadn't bothered to tell her that he was going. He felt like an idiot, when Codi called to tell him that Erika was in fact having her baby. Leaving the bed of the random girl he'd agreed to go home with, Alex managed to call a cab and get to the hospital in record time.

He arrived in time to see Jack and Victoria walking through the parking lot. Jack was in his pjs, which made Alex feel a little better about getting himself dressed as he ran through the hall way of a random stranger's apartment building. Showing up to the waiting room, they found Rian along with Zack, who had been the first person Rian had called, after Erika had called Codi in hysterics.

"How long does it take to have a baby?" Jack asked, lifting his head from Alex's shoulder, yawning as he stretched out his arms.

"Hush." Victoria poked Jack in the side. "You can't rush life."

"I wish we had a fast forward button." Jack grumbled, shifting himself to rest his head on Victoria's shoulder instead.

"You need to learn to be patient." Victoria scolded, stroking her boyfriend's hair.

Rian chuckled and Alex snorted, both of them knew better than to ever expect Jack to be patient. He just wasn't hard wired that way.

"I think he's right, we have been sitting for a while." Rian spoke up, standing up from his chair and stretching. Tossing his empty coffee cup into the trash bin, he rocked back and forth on his heels. "I'm going for a walk; does anybody else want to come?"

Jack was sound to sleep, which ruled him out. Victoria passed on the offer, along with Zack. Alex nodded, pushing himself up from the vinyl covered chair he was in. Steadying himself, he instructed Victoria to text or call him the minute Codi came back to tell them what was going on. Since Codi was her best friend, Erika had asked her to accompany her into the delivery room. Agreeing to let them know the second there was any news; Victoria went back to her magazine.

"Did you want anything?" Rian asked stopping in front of Zack, as he and Alex walked out of the waiting area.

"No, I'm good." Zack replied quietly. Alex didn't bother to acknowledge the cracking in his voice.

Giving him a nod in reply, Rian lead the way out of the waiting area. He had no real idea where they were going to go, he knew where the washroom was and the machine that you could get drinks and snacks from, but that was about it. Alex walked along beside him, both of them quiet, it was almost eerie. This was a happy occasion; Rian felt there should be more chatter, more liveliness. This awkward silence that they were stuck in just wasn't them.

Walking along to corridor Rian broke the silence. The second Alex had walked into the room; he could see it written on his face. There was a distinct look Alex Gaskarth wore when he felt guilty.

"You weren't at a bar when Codi called, were you." Rian stated, as they aimlessly wandered about.

Alex shook his head. "No."

"I'm not going to lecture you or anything but why go back to doing that shit?" Rian asked with a concerned tone.

"Because we can't all find true fucking love, Ri." Alex snapped with a huff.

So he hadn't had a one night stand in a while, it wasn't like the world would end if he decided to have one now. It was pretty clear to Alex that he was a free agent, Erika didn't want him and it wasn't as if he had any other serious prospects. Why not enjoy the girls who actually wanted to have him, even if only for the night.

"That isn't what I meant." Rian replied pausing and turning to face Alex. "I mean the drinking, the being out every night of the week. You're pissed, but I thought you were over this self destruct mode."

"It's my life; I can do what I please. I don't tell you what you can and can't do. So leave me alone." Alex grumbled.

"Is this about Erika wanting to go back home?"

"What do you think?" Alex asked, turning around and walking back toward the waiting room.

Even if it was just Jack and Zack, Rian wouldn't try to play Dr. Phil is somebody else was in the room with them. Alex felt like shit enough as it was, he didn't need Rian adding to it. Turning a corner toward the waiting area, Alex stopped seeing Codi in the chair that Zack had been in, she looked exhausted. Quickly making his way over to the small group, Alex sat down in the chair next to Codi eager to hear what she had to say.

"Oh, I tried texting you but my phone is dead." Victoria immediately informed him.

Alex shrugged. "It's cool. So, what's going on? Where is Zack? Is Erika okay?" the questions just came rushing out.

Codi smiled. "She's fine. Zack just went in, because Erika asked for him. Where's Rian?" it was Codi's turn to ask the questions.

"Uh, he's somewhere down that hall there." Alex replied pointing in the direction from which he'd come.

Standing up, Codi slipped out of the room, off to find her boyfriend. Leaving Alex with Victoria and a sleeping Jack, he raised his brow. Codi had forgotten to tell him about the baby.

"So..." Alex clapped his hands together. "Did she say anything about the baby?"

Victoria nodded. "A boy." She beamed. "They don't have a name yet, Erika wanted Zack to be there when it was decided."

Stretching her arms over her head, Erika yawned and rested her arms back down at her side. The last five and a half hours had been the longest hours of her life, a total blur at the same time. Everything had seemed surreal; the last thing she remembered in full detail was the doctor asking her if she wanted Codi to stay, or if there was somebody else? Erika had opted for Codi, without her Erika knew she would have been a total wreck.

The hum of silence filled her room, not at all awkward like Erika had expected it to be, when she'd requested to see Zack. A tiny sniffle caused Erika to smile, hearing a soft laugh from Zack she glanced over to see him sitting in the chair, the tiny and frail newborn in his arms. The little guy was tiny to begin with, but seeing him tucked safely in his dad's arms made him look even tinier. Seeing the look Zack had on his face, when the nurse had handed over his son had erased any doubt Erika had up to this point. It wasn't going to be a battle any more, the second she had laid on Carter, the name his parents had picked out only a few minutes ago, everything else to this point had seemed so silly.

"Do you think they'll let us keep him?" Zack asked his eyes still fixed on Carter.

Erika smirked. "We paid for him in full; they better let us keep him."

"Good, because I'm pretty attached." Zack confessed with a slight chuckle. "I know this isn't the time, but have you decided whether or not you're moving?"

Pursing her lips, Erika sighed. Playing with the end of her pony tail, she silently cursed Zack.

"We're moving in two months. I already found a place back home." Erika answered honestly.

Why did he have to bring this up now? He deserved to know what she had planned for his son, but did he have to know right now?