"You do realize leaving every one of us was one of the stupidest things you've done, right?"
(Y/n) rested the side of her face on her hand when she placed her elbow on the kitchen counter top in the puny sized kitchen.
"I don't know, Val."
"(Y/n), all of us are still here for you. Zacks getting released soon, I mean come on!" Val raised her voice in a frustrated manner.
"Let me talk to her," a voice muffled in the background, "(y/n), listen to me, I-"
Click.
Brian sighed and handed the phone back to Valary. He plopped himself on the couch next to Matt and Jimmy, releasing a long huff.
"What could I have done wrong?" The guitarist simply shook his head, lost for an answer.
"That's the thing, Bri," Val sat down on the arm chair across from them, "you didn't do anything wrong. None of us did."
"Except Zacky."
"Now wait a minute," Val held up a long finger, shushing Matt, "I truly don't think Zacky's at fault either."
The guys raised an eyebrow.
"Well do you think he wanted to be thrown in jail? Away from his wife and daughter and friends and family?"
The guys shrugged.
And just as they did, the door opened.
Lacey walked in with a frown painted on her face.
"I just got your text." She stared at Val.
"Come on in."
Lacey walked and sat at the table.
"John said he'd be over in a bit." She sighed and toyed with the placemat on the dark wood table.
Val observed Lacey for a while before she stood and paced back and forth, running her fingers through her platinum hair.
"We need to tell Zacky."
The guys looked up at her and Lacey looked out of the corner of her eye.
"What?" Matt furrowed his eyebrows.
"We need to tell Zacky. He might be able to talk some sense into her."
"Val," Matt stood, "you just said it wasn't Zack. I don't even think that's why she ran."
"Then what do you think?" Jimmy asked.
Matt sighed.
"Maybe she's having problems within herself, I don't know."
"So why couldn't she just come to me then and talk?" Val pouted guiltily as she plopped back down on the seat.
"Or me." Jimmy stared into space.
"Or me." Matt joined.
"Or me." Brian and Lacey synchronized.
"She's a stubborn girl. She thinks she can do everything herself and that if she asks one minuscule favor she's gotten in the way of someone else's life." Brian exclaimed.
The room was silent for moments before Johnny entered.
"Hey," He sighed, "sorry it took me a while I was out."
"No shit." Jimmy scoffed as Johnny stopped in his tracks.
"Well are you gonna ask me why?"
"You're acting rather fine for someone who's one out of a few best friends just left." Val glared at the short mohawked man.
"Alright, Val. Because of that, you're not going. For sure."
"What do you mean?" Her eyebrows scrunched.
Johnny whipped out two white pieces of paper from his pocket and fanned them out.
Matt stood to get a closer look. He widen his eyes and snatched them from Johnny.
The others curiously watched and waited for Matt to finish reading the print.
"How in the hell did you get these?" He asked.
"I just asked some of the people working there if they have any recent records of a young woman and a little girl leaving. They said yes, pulled up the information...I know where she went, and there are your tickets. You guys battle who's going."
"What, no way." Brian raised his voice in disbelief as he snatched the tickets from behind Matt.
"Why did you just buy two?" Matt asked.
"She'd be overwhelmed if we all went. Besides, someone's gotta keep an eye on the house and such."
"Alright, alright. When is the flight and to where?" Jimmy stood with two hands up.
"The flight to (state) leaves in three days at 6:30 pm."
"Do you even know where in (state)?" Matt asked.
Johnny sighed.
"One word. Think."
"Your sarcasm wasn't appreciated," Jimmy sassed, "but alright lets think. And who's gonna go?"
"I am." Everyone said.
"Should've seen that coming." Johnny rolled his eyes and walked over to Lacey, rubbing her back for comfort.
"Alright, well, I'm definitely going." Matt said as Jimmy raised his hand.
"And I'm going too."
"No. I stayed with her while Zack was out the least I can do is go for sure." Brian stated as Valary nodded.
"I agree with Brian."
"I second that." Johnny added as Lacey nodded.
"Alright. So Brian's got one ticket. Now who's got the other?" Matt asked.
"Hold up hold up," Val stood up, "more like who else was on the closer side with (y/n)?"
They all looked around at each other.
"Matt." Lacey spoke up.
They all looked back at the brunette.
"Matt was in my opinion. You were always really protective and supportive of her. I mean," she stood and walked over to the group, "you sung her sobbing daughter to bed for god sakes. I think you should go."
Val nodded.
"Alright," the singer released a heavy breath and looked at the spiked haired man, "three days counting, Syn."
"Three days." He repeated.
~*~
Four Days Later...
The guitarist with the slick black hair and neat eyebrows stepped foot outside.
Yes, outside. Into the actual world instead of outside his cell.
He inhaled the scent of urban and ocean and released a happy sigh.
"I'm comin home, (y/n)...I'm comin home (daughter)..."
Zacky called a cab and soon ended up back at the oh so familiar apartment building.
He walked up the steps, a huge grin on his face, and knocked on the door.
"I'm home!" He showed his pearly whites but they soon disappeared when Valary opened the door, holding River in her other arm.
Her jaw slightly dropped.
"I'm gonna have to call you back..." She informed the person she was in the middle of speaking to on her phone.
"Val? Wh-where's (y/n)?" He tried looking over her shoulder.
"Zick!" River pointed and clapped.
"Hey, bud." Zacky whispered and grasped onto the child's hand as he continued his skimming.
Valary could only look back at his mossy orbs with no words.
"Valary."
"Come on in." She whispered as the door closed behind him.
