Secrets

Part One: MTM -- Secrets

For a few moments, both men were stunned silent, looking at the picture on Mike's phone. Then Mike looked up, and all Chester could see was the absolute joy in his bandmate's eyes. It was a breathtaking sight.

"Oh my God, Chester! I'm going to be a dad! Oh my God!" Mike catapulted off the bed and into Chester's arms, squeezing him close in an excited hug, his face obliterated by the biggest smile Chester had ever seen. "I've got to call Anna back, oh my God!" He looked down at the phone for a second, and then back at Chester. "I can't believe it. I didn't think it would happen so fast."

That caused Chester to smile wryly, a bit of a snort escaping as he commented, "you have no idea, man. One minute you're having a good time with your girlfriend, the next thing you know you've got a baby on your arm. It's crazy." He shook his head in gentle amusement.

Mike continued to babble on excitedly. "I mean, she just stopped taking the pill in February, we talked about it a lot before I left, but I didn't think... wow. I mean... wow. I have to call her back."

Chester stood next to the bed, debating with himself as Mike called Anna back, listening to her happiness through the line as Mike asked what seemed like twenty breathless questions back to back. He didn't know how their night was going to go now that Mike totally preoccupied with thoughts of babies. It wasn't hard to feel the same excitement Mike was feeling- he had the kind of smile, the kind of laugh that drew you inside, no matter how shitty you felt. He watched Mike pace the floor in front of the bed, talking animatedly with his free hand, and couldn't help but smile as well, despite the sinking disappointment he felt seeping into his bones.

The knock of room service on the door was a welcome distraction and Chester made his way to open the door, Mike catching his eye on the way over. "I love you, too, hon. So excited! Dinner is here, though, I've got to go... no... no, it's late here, we have a show tomorrow, so I'll call you after that... yeah... okay... I love you. 'Nite." He hung up the phone as Chester carried a tray into the room.

"Damn, Shinoda, you're practically glowing," Chester smiled in his direction. "Congrats, man. You guys sound excited." He went to put the tray down on the table by the window but Mike intervened.

"I thought we were eating in bed!" The sparkle on his face hadn't receeded yet, and Mike looked at Chester, his face still split in a huge grin. "We're celebrating tonight, right?" A flicker of uncertainty hit his eyes as he watched Chester waver for a moment with the tray.

"Of course we're celebrating! But... how are we going to eat steak and lobster in the bed? Dessert, maybe, but I'm not going to try cutting a steak while balancing a plate on my lap." Setting the tray down, he looked at Mike expectantly. "I feel like champagne is in order!"

The smile dissolved off Mike's face slowly as he thought about champagne. This is a moment for celebration. But... alcohol and Chester? Right now, as down on himself as he's been the past few days? I don't think that's a good idea.

As if Chester were reading his mind, he answered Mike aloud. "It's just a glass of champagne, Mikey. I can handle it. C'mon, this is a big moment!" He picked up the phone to dial out again, undeterred by the wrinkle of worry between Mike's eyes.

It will be okay. I'm here, and it's just one bottle between the two of us. He won't overdo it, I'll be here. "Okay, yeah. One bottle, Chester. And no more, okay?" Mike watched Chester roll his eyes as he ordered champagne up to the room, adding strawberries as a careless afterthought. He felt a shift in the air as Chester put the phone down and came back to the table, reaching for Mike and slipping an arm around his waist to pull him close.

"I mean it, Mike. Congrats. There's nothing like being a dad. You don't even know how much you can love someone else until you're holding your child and looking at that face for the first time... your kid is going to be lucky to have you as a father." He squeezed Mike close and was pulling away when Mike suddenly turned, wrapping his arms around the vocalist and preventing him from moving.