Welcome To The Family

**Matt's POV**

It's been a few weeks since the night of the accident and I have to return to the hospital today to get the cast off my left arm. Michelle is still there because they found some additional internal bleeding and just wanted to make sure they got it all before releasing her. I have been by to see her a few times since that night and I still feel overcome with guilt every time I see her laying in that hospital bed...in hind sight though, it's a miracle she wasn't killed. Things are still extremely awkward around Val and Brian but I really can't ask them to just forgive and forget like nothing life-altering ever happened. Brian seems closed off, even towards Val and the rest of the guys and that kind of has me concerned. Val told me she has no idea why he's pushing everyone away but that it has her worried as well. I didn't push the issue much further with her because honestly I'm shocked she even spoke to me.

I really made a huge mess of everything, all because I was afraid to tell Val that I wasn't in love with her anymore. I was so worried I would hurt her but, I think it goes without saying... that would have felt like a gentle let down compared to the the horrific sideshow that this turned out to be.

Jimmy was the first person to actually forgive me, he understood that my feelings were real but didn't condone the lying. Zacky and Johnny just recently accepted my apology for not letting them know immediately after it happened....it's wasn't that I'm ashamed of Michelle, because I'm most definitely not...I told them I was ashamed of my actions and the way I handled the situation. I think they can understand that now and in time maybe they can't fully forgive my betrayal of their friendship and trust.

I pick up a beautiful bouquet of mixed roses and head towards the hospital early so I have time to see Michelle before they release her this afternoon. She's going to be staying with her parents for a few weeks because she was living with Brian when the accident happened. I don't think I need to tell you that Val and Michelle's parents are disappointed in all of us. I attempted to try and speak to their dad once they arrived at the hospital the night of the crash but if looks kill....I would be a dead man!

I make my way towards Michelle's room and have the biggest grin on my face. She been telling me that I'm always so thoughtful, that I make her happy and that she loves me so much, and in turn, my love for her grows stronger and stronger every time those words cross her lips.

Her door is open but she's not alone, at first I think it might be her dad sitting down at her bed side and I'm not trying to die today so I hang back in the doorway out of sight.

"Michelle, I'm so fucking sorry for all the times I cheated on you and made you feel like you didn't matter to me...you do matter to me! I love you and I hope you can forgive me! Please, I need you to forgive me!" a familiar voice begs and my heart literally feels like it's shattering.

....It's Brian.

**Brian's POV**

The last few weeks have been a living Hell....I just want to drown away my sorrows in multiple bottles of Jack Daniels but the guys refuse to let me. Seriously, don't they know how guilty I feel?!? If I wouldn't have been flirting with that waitress at the party then Michelle and I would have never got into that fight, Matt wouldn't have been the one to comfort her, he would never had drove her home that night and the affairs and subsequent car accident would have never happened!

I can't talk to Val about this either. I really, really like her but I can't really trust her after she used me as payback against Matt. I am completely miserable and feel like the only person who might understand is the one person who I don't deserve to even speak to...Michelle.

I decide to drive to the hospital to see if she would at least hear me out and let me try to explain that I never meant to hurt her. I knock on her door and she looks up with a glowing smile across her face, but I guess I'm not who she was expecting, because I can see the corners of her lips start to curl down and she looks sad? hurt?disappointed? Maybe even all of the above...

I pull up a chair next to her bed and lightly reach for her hand. She doesn't flinch away, that's a good sign that she will at least hear me out. "How you doing beautiful?" I ask and she full on frowns. Ok, I get it...she doesn't want compliments from me right now.

"Why are you here, Brian?" she huffs but doesn't look me in the eyes..instead she stares at the tv pretending to be super interested in the As Seen On TV infomercial that's currently on the screen.

"Chelle, can you look at me please?" I beg and she sighs harshly and rolls her eyes but finally looks at me. I can see she's fighting to hold back tears and I want to scream because I know I caused them....yet again. I take a deep breath and begin "I don't expect you to ever be able to forgive me. I never treated you like you deserve to be and I know it's too late to take it all back but..." I say and she interrupts me.

"Brian, if it was the first time or even the tenth time that I caught you screwing around then maybe I could forgive you, but..." she gets out before I cut in.

"I know, I know! I didn't come here with the hopes that you would just forgive, forget and then just jump back into the way we were...you deserve better than the way we were. I just came to say I'm sorry and that I will try to be there for you from now on... even if it's only as a friend, even if it means I have to watch you and Matt continue this relationship...or whatever it is...I'll be there. I promise you, Chelle!" She looks like she has no idea what to say to that, so she just sits there and stares into my sad brown eyes as tears begin to fall from hers, "Michelle, I'm so fucking sorry for all the times I cheated on you and made you feel like you didn't matter to me...you do matter to me! I love you and I hope you can forgive me! Please, I need you to forgive me!" I say but she doesn't respond so I lean in and gently kiss her tear stained cheek and she just sobs harder. I stand up and rush to grab her a tissue and think to myself

...this was a very bad idea.

**Michelle's POV**

When there is a knock at my door my heart actually skips a beat because I heard Matt was coming to the hospital today to get his cast removed..ugh I can't wait to get mine off, this fucking thing itches!! When I finally stop my inner monologue about itchy casts and glance towards the doorway expecting to see Matt, my smile falters when I see Brian looking back at me with wounded puppy dog eyes.

I'm trying my hardest not to let him know his presence is greatly affecting my good mood but he knows..we had been together for too long for me to hide my true emotions from him. He apologizes for how he treated me and let's me know that he's sorry and that I deserve better. Blah, blah, blah...it's like the millionth time I've heard this speech! He actually surprises me when he says that he will be there for me as a friend even if I decide to continue my relationship with Matt....I'll admit, I would have never expected that. I can feel the hot tears begin to fall from my eyes and after apologizing yet again for being a jerk and telling me that he loves me and hopes I can forgive him, he places a gentle kiss on my cheek and rushes to grab me a tissue.

I hear a rustling noise out in the hallway and think it's probably just another nurse reading my chart....they seem to have been coming by pretty regularly today since I'm being discharged. Brian comes back from the bathroom that's adjoining my room with a wad of toilet paper...not a few pieces...I'm talking practically the whole roll bunched into a gigantic ball, which he kindly hands me. I can't help but laugh because it's so very like him to do something completely ridiculous and be totally oblivious to it's humor. He quirks and eyebrow at me and I just hold up the gigantic basketball of toilet paper. I give him the 'you really can't see how silly this is' look and he finally gets it and starts laughing with me.

My parents enter the room and I see my mom is holding a beautiful bouquet of mixed roses. Of course my dad immediately glares at Brian and he decides it would be a good time to leave. He leans over and gently places a kiss on my cheek and my dad lets out a protective growl. "Sorry, I'll go... I'll talk to you later Chelle. Feel better!" Brian shouts and runs out the door.

"Relax dad! He just came by to see how I was doing and to apologize." I say and can faintly hear my dad grumble out something incoherent under his breath and I just chuckle and look at my mom admiring the flowers. "Mom, you didn't need to buy me flowers....they are really beautiful though!" I say and she looks up at me confused.

"I didn't. These were hanging on the door...I thought Brian had brought them. Didn't he mention it?" she replies and I wrack my brain trying to remember...did he say he did?
"Oh wait, here is a card on the floor...it says,
'Beautiful flowers for an even more beautiful girl.
All my love,
-Matt'
.....oh dear." she says sadly and I'm confused. Why didn't he give them to me himself? Why just leave them and not say hello?

I begin to pale as I replay the conversation with Brian. Oh God, I hope he didn't just hear the last part of Brian's apology because if he did he is going to think Brian still wants to be with me! What if Matt didn't hear Brian say, in his own way, that he gives us his blessing and will be there as a friend regardless of how painful it's going to be to watch? What if he saw him kiss me?!

Shit, I have to call him and explain. "Mom, can I please borrow your phone?! I think Matt overhead something Brian said and took it the wrong way!" I beg.

"I'm sorry, I left mine in the car, Sweetheart. I'm sure your dad has his though" She replies then turns to face my dad, "Well Nik, can she borrow yours?"

"No.." he replies in a stern voice. I begin to sob and my mom rushes over to my side. "I'm sorry Michelle but I refuse to condone this crazy boyfriend swap between you and your sister....it's just not right." he growls out and I feel like I've been stabbed in the heart.

"So, I don't deserve to be happy?! It doesn't matter to you what I want?!" I scream back at him.

"I do want you to be happy but can't you see I'm trying to protect you? Those boys...after everything they did....I don't want them around either of you!" he says forcefully.

I'm shocked. Our dad has never once refused us anything...let alone tried to meddle in either of our relationships. "Dad, that's not fair!!! I'm not a baby, you can't refuse to let me see anyone!"

"You and Valary are my babies...you always will be." he says softly and I know deep down he's just scared about the outcome of our actions.

"But....I love him daddy!!!!" I sob.

"You will love again baby.." he whispers out and softly kisses my head.

THIS IS A TOTAL NIGHTMARE!!!!

Notes

Oh boy.... the plot thickens.

Will Matt find out the truth and realize he overreacted?
Who will Michelle turn to for comfort?
Do you think Brian will ever forgive Val for using him?
Can Debbie talk Nik out of his decision to control the girls relationships?

Comment and let me know :)