-Kenz-

I was sitting at my island with a book open in front of me and a margarita in hand when the door burst open and Zack ran in looking haggard at best. His whole body was shaking and his eyes were red. Worried, I stood up and rushed to him. “Zack? Zack!” I snapped in front of his face, biting down on my lip hard.

“She’s pregnant.” He choked at me, nearly collapsing on the couch. “OH fucking hell Mackenzie she’s fucking pregnant.”

I sat next to him and rubbed soothing circles into his back. “We knew this was a possibility when she called Zack.” I reminded him softly. “Now you’ve gotta be a man and take care of her and the baby.”

He had. Zack loved Natasha and Samantha more than life itself and he worked so hard to try to keep his girls happy. I loved them too. Nat was my closest friend besides Demi and Sam was the little girl I wanted but could never have. So when he mentioned to me that he was going to see them I’d jumped up and ran for the car. It was an ill advised trip. But I was fine with that.

Nat and I were sitting at the kitchen table nursing delicious coffee and watching the window letting out to the back yard. Zack was running from Sam who had a water balloon in each hand. Laughing, I looked at Nat over my mug. “She’s ecstatic he’s here huh.”

“All week it’s been ‘Whens Daddy getting here?’ ‘Is Daddy comin’ soon?’ I was about to loose my mind by the time the car pulled up last night.” Nat laughed and took a sip of her coffee. “I’m just thankful he’s starting to come visit us more.”

“Nat…” I bit my lip and looked down at my steaming cup. “This isn’t fair to the two of them.”

“Oh. I know it isn’t Kenz. I don’t like having to keep her from her father for so long. I’ve talked to Sam about it as best you can to a three year old and she wants to live with him…”Nat looked down at her mug biting her lower lip. “Zack and I talked about it last night. The realtor is coming on Monday to look at the house; we should be in LA permanently at the end of the month.” There was a light in her eyes that made my heart swell a little. I missed feeling so desperately in love with someone, missed the way love had been the best color in my life. I’d alienated myself from emotion when Alex told me to get packing, and now it was coming back to bite me in the ass.

“That’s amazing Nat!” I beamed at her and got up to put my mug in the sink. “No wonder he’s more chipper than usual this morning.”

Just then Zack ran inside and hid under the table, Sam dancing in with a new water balloon in her right hand. “Daddy!” she giggled and skipped over to the table, her little head just low enough to peak under. “I see you siwwy goose!” Her devilishly adorable laughter filled the room as she pegged him in the face with the plastic water filled sac. It exploded and hit me and her mother’s legs, causing us both to shriek.

“Samantha Jane!” Nat shouted, getting up.

Sam stared up at her mother with tears filling her gorgeous hazel eyes. “Ye-es mommy?” the little girl whimpered.

Zack crawled out from under the table and shook the water out of his hair at Nat, swinging Sam up into his chest like she was nothing more than a paper. “I’m sorry babe. That one was my fault.” He leaned down and kissed Nat. Sam giggled and nodded, hugging her father’s neck.

I got up quietly and walked out of the room, letting the little family have their moment together. I walked up to my room and tugged my shirt off, my reflection catching my attention. I stood there staring at my frame and the ‘Hus’ visible right above my shorts waist line. I slipped off the black spandex and stared at the ‘Hustler’ tattoo, my whole body trembling. Alex and I had promised we'd break up on good terms when the time came. I didn't want to be married and he did. I didn't want kids and he did. We promised each other when he gave me the little silver and diamond promise ring that it would never turn into an engagement ring and when we did break up he would get it back. The necklace hadn't been part of that deal. I think that's what killed me the most. That he took the locket. That and the fact that I'd had 'Hustler' tattooed on my left hip. It's still there. I would always be a Hustler. Even though the band had broken up and he had dumped me. But that’s because I grew up with the band. I think, honestly, that's what killed me the most. I stared at my reflection, at the tattoo, at the empty space where my locket used to rest, and I felt entirely crushed. The break up had been enough. I was ruined for life. But that wasn’t fair. He’d moved on, so why couldn’t I? I wasn’t going to let him destroy me any longer.

I grabbed my bag and threw my clothes from the night before into it, making sure that my phone charger and toothbrush were stowed away safely inside. Zack, Nat, and Sam were on the couch watching some cartoon when I stormed downstairs and tugged on a handful of his hair. He handed me the car keys with a word and Sam and Nat both gave me a kiss on the cheek. I ruffled my God daughter’s hair and ran out. The car drive back to LA was long and boring, save for the phone pressed securely to my ear. I’d bought a cheap track phone at the gas station and immediately called Demi. We had plans to get me in a dress and get me to the club. It’d been so long since I went out. But as I drove, with the radio on, a voice I hadn’t heard in a while came on.

“Hey guys! To ‘celebrate’ All Time Low’s four year break up I have an old interview airing here and my channel on Youtube. It’s up next.”

Notes

I wanna give Jack, Zack, and Rian a happily ever after in this story too. So I'm sorry it's so long and boring and really hasn't given you alot on Alex and Kenzie but I want this to be a complete story. Plus I was so excited when I got the idea of Zack's daughter.
Let me know what you guys think of Samantha and Natasha!
Suspense is coming! I promise! How's she gonna react to seeing Alex again? What's the interview? Can I have some guesse gus?!
-xoxoDR