What If

The Rules Don't Apply

"I can't believe you wrote all this," Jimmy said in awe as Brian handed over a few lyrics to songs that he wanted the band to try to play.

"I didn't," Brian said honestly. "You did."

Jimmy's blue eyes had a far off look in them. He opened them wide and then shook himself from his trance. "Leana said you're absolutely insane."

Brian felt disheartened. "Does this look like I'm insane? Seriously, Jimmy, how could I write all these songs on my own?"

"Well now that you put it that way...."Jimmy smiled. 

Brian leaned over to touch Jimmy's tattooed arm, just to make sure he wasn't imagining him. "We've got to make this work."

"Don't you want to get back...to your real life....where we're together....."Jimmy asked.

Brian felt guilty because he did want to go back...but reality had no Jimmy. Shouldn't he want to stay with him? "I want to be here...right now."

Jimmy nodded with a grin. "I get ya."

"So what do you think?" Brian asked clearing his throat. "Do you think you can handle this shit?"

Jimmy rolled his eyes. "With one hand tied behind my back and twice on Sunday."

"That's my boy," Brian chuckled. "My dad is gonna let us do some demos tomorrow night...you know we gotta wait for Zacky to finish the school day."

"We gotta go," Jimmy looked his watch. "It's Poker Night."

"Poker night?" Brian asked. 

"Oh yeah...fuck...sorry we do this every week. Poker game at our houses. This week its Matt's. You usually clean everyone out."

"Fuck," Brian mumbled "I suck ass at poker."

Jimmy's blue eyes sparkled. "Good...I could your extra cash."

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Brian looked at the confident look on Johnny's face as he waited to call Brian's bluff. 

  Matt frowned "I've got nothing but trash, I fold."  

"Same," Jimmy said tossing the cards. 

"I've got a pair of Kings," Zacky said laying his cards down and picking his beer bottle up to sip.

"What ya got Gates?" Johnny taunted using his old stage name.

Brian narrowed his brown eyes. "Fuck you short shit, I've got a pair of twos."

"HA HA," Johnny yelled excitedly "Three aces...read 'em and weep boys! Wooohooo!" He pulled all the money toward him.

"You really do suck ass at this," Jimmy cracked.

Brian ran his hand across his face. "I need another beer," he said rising from his seat. "Anyone else?"

"Me," Matt said polishing off his bottle and handing it to him.

Brian took and began walking into the kitchen. He almost knocked Michelle over in the process.

"Woah Brian..."she said with a great big grin."You okay? First you're losing big at poker and now you're almost knocking me over. You have the flu or something?"

"Something like that," he said pulling two Bud-lites from the fridge. 

"Need a nurse?" she asked in a husky tone.

"Are you a...nurse?" Brian asked. Apparently in this alternate reality anything was possible.

"If that's what you want," she said coyly as she brushed past him, heading toward the door.

"Wait...Michelle...are you and I? Do we have something going on?"

Michelle was taken back by his directness. Normally he just pretended to ignore her but if she wasn't mistaken, he looked interested. "Are we finally being honest?"

"It would help me if we were," Brian said honestly.

"Okay, you're right, we've been dancing around this for years," Michelle said flushed, briefly fanning her face. "Oh my God...okay...here it goes. When Val says she's having a get together with the guys, I make it a point to get myself invited. Even if the situation doesn't call for it. I'll use any excuse in the world to just be able to touch you. When you stare at me, my heart practically flips out of my chest. I can't control it. So if you're asking me honestly, if I want it to be more...the answer is definitely yes."

Brian took a deep breath as she inched closer, placing her hand to her chest.

"And Kate would never have to know," she said huskily.

"Do I have your phone number?" he asked, his rough tone matching hers.

She smiled seductively. "Steve is out of town this week on business. Why don't you just stop by."

She turned, leaving Brian standing there, watching her shake her bottom as she made her way back to her sister.

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Brian walked back into the living room a bit flushed and everyone noticed. 

"Woah Bri, you're face is red as fuck," Matt said "Guess losing all that cash is making you sick."

"Ha ha," Brian deadpanned as he handed Matt his beer. "Not even. I just ran into Michelle in the kitchen."

"Oh fuck," Johnny laughed "That girl is relentless."

"I think she wants to have an affair," Brian said.

"No shit," Zacky said angrily and everyone else laughed.

"Did she say that?" Jimmy asked already knowing the answer.

"Pretty much," Brian shrugged pulling out his phone.

"Damn....she doesn't know when to quit," Johnny said as he shuffled the card.

"So...if one of you could enter her address here," Brian replied and the other guys stopped to glare.

"Whoa...whoa...wait a second, Brian. You're not actually gonna cheat on Kate?" Zacky asked.

Brian shrugged. "Zack...it wouldn't actually be cheating. Trust me on this one...it's complicated."

"Look, maybe I'm not the expert here since I'm married to Michelle's sister, but I think that is an amazingly bad fucking idea," Matt said as he sorted his card.

"I gotta agree," Johnny added. "A little flirtation's harmless but you're playing with fire here. The Fidelity Bank and Trust is a tough creditor. You make a deposit somewhere else, they close your account forever."

"That's beautiful, short shit," Jimmy threw out trying to break the tension.

"I'm telling you...those rules don't apply to me," Brian replied.

"Screw the rules, Brian," Zacky growled. "Seriously....Michelle's got no class," he looked at Matt "No offense."

Matt threw up his hands "None taken."

"And you..."Zacky continued to accuse. "You still thing you're a fucking rock star and that you can treat women like shit just because you used to be Synyster fucking Gates."

"Woah Zack...where is that shit coming from?" Jimmy asked.

Zacky shook his head. "All I'm saying is...there isn't a guy in Huntington Beach who wouldn't give his left nut to be married to Kate."

Brian looked at his friend surprised and realization hit him.

Zacky's face turned red. He took one last swig of his beer and stood up. "I'll see you fucks tomorrow...I'm outta here."

They watched in silence as he walked out of the front door without so much as a look back.

When the door slammed, Brian could feel everyone's eyes on him.

It was Johnny who spoke first. "What the fuck was that all about?"

Brian felt a bit nauseous. How could he never have seen before?

Zacky had a thing for Kate.