Welcome To The Family

**Zacky's POV**

I am about to lay into Brian and Jimmy again for not clueing Johnny and I into their fucking web of bullshit secrets when a blood curdling scream echoes through the quiet hospital. The security guards who are standing in front of the ICU doors get a call to report to room 314....FUCK, that's Michelle's room!

The color drains from all of our faces and we start to panic. While nobody is looking we rush inside the doors and head towards the direction of the loud commotion. When we arrive at the room I'm not fully prepared for the sight in front of me....Matt is seated in a wheelchair outside Michelle's room and Val has her hands wrapped firmly around his neck with her knee pressed painfully into Matt's groin.

"So, she's you're fucking fiancée..that's rich!!! You will never be anything more than a cheater and a liar you asshole!!! You have no right to be near either of us right now...I hope you fucking die!" Val screams and tightens her grip on his throat so much so that her knuckles are turning white and Matt looks like he's going to pass out any minute.

Cheater? I'm so confused..."Val! What's wrong with you?!? Let him go...you're going to strangle him to death!!" I shout and she glares up at me. I have never seen this side of Val but she's honestly scaring the shit out of me. She looks murderously mad.

"Zach, he fucked my sister behind my back after he proposed and then almost killed her in a car accident!! I hope I choke the life out of him because he deserves it!!!" she cries as the security guards fight to pry her off the completely helpless Matt.

"STOP IT!!!!!!!" Brian shouts from beside me, "Val, we are as much to blame as he is so knock it off!!!"

She finally releases her grip from Matt's throat and he gasps loudly for air. Val looks over towards Brian with hurt and confusion plastered all over her face.

"Brian, how could you say that to me?! We weren't the ones who weren't paying attention and decided to plow through a red light and into oncoming traffic!" she sobs.

"No, but if they didn't catch us fucking on your dining room table less than an hour before it happened maybe they wouldn't have been distracted!" he shouts back and Johnny and I gasp. I seriously can't believe what I just heard and my blood starts to boil.

"Wait a fucking minute!!! You're honestly telling us that you two dickheads decided to have an identical twin swap for the night and didn't once think that this could fucking ruin us!?!?" I seethe out and suddenly all the empty holes in last nights events are filled...well for the most part. I'm not 100% how Jimmy found out but since the accident happened down the street from his house I can only assume that Matt or Michelle told him.

"I'm sorry..." Matt rasps out harshly because his throat is still recovering from the brutal assault only minutes ago, "...I wasn't thinking.."

Johnny slams his fist against the wall and glares over towards Matt, "You got that right! Seriously, I can not fucking believe any of your actions right now! It's shit like this that rips bands....no fuck that shit....rips friendships apart!!!" he yells. I know that him and I are both hurt that nobody seemed to trust us enough to tell us the truth. Seriously, what is a friendship without trust....it doesn't exist.

"I'm going to need everyone to calm down now!" the security guard hollers but nobody really cares what he wants.

"Calm down?! I can't calm down!!" Val says and struggles to break free from his grip, "I'm the only one who has the right to be here....the rest of you are NOT our family so get the fuck out!!"

"Wow, I know you're hurting Val but....FUCK YOU!" I growl.

"Knock it off!!!!" Brian shouts, "She's just upset. She doesn't mean that and you fucking know it!"

"That's cute....sticking up for your new girlfriend." Johnny whispers out under his breath and Brian starts to lunge towards him but Jimmy's tall frame steps in the way and shoves him back.

"Enough! I will not let shit like this tear our band and our friendships apart! I refuse to let you guys beat each other to a bloody pulp over a fucking mistake!!" Jimmy shouts loudly and we all freeze...well, all except Matt.

"It's not a mistake Jimbo...or at least not on my part. I really am in love with Chelle.." he says softly and yet again I can't wrap my head around what is going on. Didn't he just propose to Val last night?!?

"You're lying!!!" Val shouts and attempts to latch her razor sharp claws back onto his neck but she's still being held back by security.

"I'm sorry Val!!! I'm so fucking sorry I hurt you, but I'm not lying!!" he shouts back.

"So, you never loved me? Why propose to me then? Why get my hopes up only to turn around and rip my heart from my chest like this?! WHY?!" she sobs out and Brian rushes to her side.

"I'm sorry. I do love you Val...please trust me when I say I do...I will love you until the day I die because you mean that much to me....but, if I'm being honest, I think I stopped being in love with you a while ago..." Matt sighs out, "it's because of that love and the fact that everyone kept reminding me how happy I made you, that I proposed. I wanted to be your knight in shining armor and give you your happily ever after because I really did want to see you happy....but I panicked because deep down I knew that it wasn't going to make me happy. I tried to convince myself that I was ok with willfully giving up my happiness just to make you happy but I couldn't....so, you can stand there and call me a selfish prick all you like...but I just couldn't!"

The whole mood in the hallway changed when Matt confessed his real feelings and motivations behind he had done. Nobody seemed murderously mad anymore. I think we all just kind of felt bad for him....

....I think even Val might be too.

**Val's POV**

Matt's confession hit me like a ton of bricks...I can't believe he would have actually once considered giving up his happiness just so I could have mine. I can't even say that I'm mad at him for telling me the truth, even though it was painful to hear. Honestly, if that's how he feels then I know I deserve better than him anyhow. I mean seriously, if he's not in love with me it would have only been a matter of time before he cheated on me anyhow...granted, I would have never thought it would be with my twin sister.

"I'm calm now, can you please let me go?" I beg the security guard but he looks skeptical, "I promise, I'm ok." I say again calmly and he releases his grip on me but I see Matt flinch out of the corner of my eye.

I kneel down in front of him and can see the discomfort in his expression, "Matt, I'm not going to come after you again. I'm sorry for hurting you...not only physically but also by cheating on you with Brian as payback." I say and he relaxes. I stand up and turn towards Johnny, Zacky and Jimmy, "I'm sorry I told you guys that you weren't our family....I was just hurt. God knows where I would be without your love and support...I hope you can forgive me." I say softly and they nod their heads. I slowly turn and look up into Brian's beautiful brown eyes, "and you....I'm sorry I used you for payback because deep down I think you actually really cared for me but I was so filled with hate and vengeance that I was too blind to see it. I really hope one day you can forgive me.." I whisper just loud enough so he is the only on who can hear me.

Brian starts to lower his lips towards mine and butterflies of hope erupt in my stomach. Suddenly there is a loud crashing noise coming from the room to my left....

....Michelle's room!

**Brian's POV**

Val seems genuinely sorry for using me and I get a small glimmer of hope that things will work out for the best. I am seconds away from kissing her soft lips again when I'm startled by a loud noise coming from inside room 314....oh fuck, that's Michelle's room!

We all try to rush towards the door but the nurse who I guess brought Matt down stands in the way. "Oh no! I'm seriously seconds away from throwing every last on of you out because of your actions!" she shouts and glares over at Matt. "Stay here!"

She disappears into the room and you can see we are all holding our breathes in anticipation. The nurse reappears minutes later holding a tray with some plastic tubing on it. Val rushes over and grabs her lightly by the wrists and looks like she's about to ask what the fuck is going on when the nurse cuts her off. "She's awake, she threw the tray to get our attention because she couldn't find the call button. I removed the ventilator tube since she's breathing on her own now but she won't be able to talk until her vocal cords heal."

We all sigh out of relief and Val rushes into the room. We try and follow her but the nurse refuses....ugh, lady I am not in the mood today!

"Please..." Matt asks and she just scoffs.

"You lied to me...I could lose my job because of all of you!" she cries and Jimmy attempts to work his charm on her.

"Hey....we're sorry. We certainly don't want you to lose your job over this but like we said before...we are family" Jimmy says softly and caresses her cheek, "We may not be blood but we are closer than some people who are anyhow....I'm sure you can relate."

She chuckles a little, "Yeah, my brother and I are like oil and water...I get it. Please, try and make it quick ok." she smiles and looks up into Jimmy's blue eyes.

He leans over and gives her a peck on her check and she blushes. Ha, Jimbo has a way with the ladies that can rival mine.

We all begin to file into the room but Matt is struggling with the stupid wheelchair because of his cast. I know I should be pissed at him but I can see the desperation in his face to get inside and make sure Michelle is ok. I sigh and walk up behind him and lift him out of the wheelchair and wrap my arm around his back while his rests across my shoulders. He smiles over at me and we make our way inside.

Michelle glances over at the two of us in the doorway and looks like she in complete shock. She attempts to speak but I walk over with Matt in tow and gentle place my pointer finger over her lips.

"Shhh....we can talk later" I say and tears spill from her eyes. I feel so guilty about how I treated her in the past and I know deep down she deserves someone who can love her how she deserves to be loved...

....someone like Matt.

Notes

Yay! Michelle's awake!!!!!!

So, what did you think of Matt's confession and everyone's reaction to it?? Let me know :)