Before You, He Had Me

Thirty-Two

14 Weeks

"You're good with this right, Annie?" Calum turns to her as he parks his car in Michael's driveway.

"It's ten people, and I know them all. I may not have wanted to live here, but I can handle one night of celebrating with my two favorite guys. It would feel wrong to not hug Mike and tell him congratulations on the album." She smiles fondly over at Calum, grateful for his constant and appropriate level of concern for her well being.

"Good, because I think we've been spotted, and I don't think that grin is for me." Calum's eyes have moved past her and out the window.

Confused for a second Meg turns, fumbling with the door for a moment as she tries to open it. Michael saving her embarrassment as he nearly rips it off in excitement. "Megan!" he yells, pulling her out of the car and into a tight hug.

"I've missed you, Mike." She giggles, nearly suffocating him with how tightly her arms wind around his neck. "Congrats on the new album. I love it so so much."

"Ya? What's your favorite song off it?" He laughs, setting her back on her feet as he pulls Calum into a tight hug, the two holding each other for a minute. Not being able to all be together for the release the previous night had been a weird change of events, one neither of them particularly enjoyed.

"Congrats, brother." Calum chuckles.

"Fourth album, can you believe it." Michael nods back.

"Fuck. Stop." Meg laughs, catching a rogue tear falling from her eye.

"What's wrong. Annie." Calum turns quickly.

"Nothing, I just... I've known you both since before you picked up your first guitars." She shakes her head at them, "I'm just so fucking proud of you guys. Four huge albums out now and just, fuck look where we are! We are in LA, you guys have done it." She laughs, "Plus, I'm pregnant."

"Sap." Michael laughs, pulling her under his arm.

"I'm just happy." She shrugs, "And to answer your question, I think Old Me is still my favorite song from the album."

"Ya?" Calum grins at her as they head for the house finally.

"What can I say, I'm a sap. And I grew up with you guys, especially the two of you. I've grown a lot this year, and changed a lot too, and I guess it just resolves with me. Plus, watching the video makes me cry. All the memories and everything. It's really special to me."

"Fuck you broke her." Michael laughs, looking towards Calum.

"What did I do?" He scoffs.

"She didn't use to cry and get all sappy like this. But she moves in with you for like two weeks and now she's a mess."

"I blame the hormones." Meg chuckles, detaching from Michael's side as she enters the house, squealing just as loud as Crystal as they make eye contact. Meeting halfway across the room in a tight hug with the girl she considers an older sister.

"I have missed you so much, Meg! Can you move back already?"

"No. But I miss you too, Crys." She laughs, keeping her arms tightly wrapped around the older woman.

"I'll take the night I can get with you then. You look amazing by the way, you are glowing." Crystal turns guiding her out of the house with an arm over her shoulders.

"Ugh, something like that." Meg laughs.

"How are things going?"

"I don't really know yet, I've got to see the doctor again, get a little more info, and I really need to start looking at adoption applications, but the website is so daunting. Cal said he would help me after the drop calms down. I think I might wait for that, it's such a big choice. I am the one who gets to determine what family this baby ends up with for life. That's scary as fuck."