To get back up from the lowest point in your life, you have to take small steps. Little baby steps that eventually get you standing on your own two feet again. You finally get the confidence to walk without someone beside you.
When you've been broken, because you feel like your dying in a world that doesn't seem to care, you take baby steps to get you to see how beautiful life can really be.

Just like when Linzee began to start pulling herself up off the floor, attempting to hoist herself onto the mountain like climb that was the couch, Zacky started taking baby steps. Neither Matt or Brian left his side, and for once, he was glad his best friends wouldn't leave him alone. Because if he was alone- he'd start neglecting Linzee- and that was the last thing she needed now.

He hadn't been to the hospital in weeks, but Keira was still there. Ever since the first day, he hadn't been back- scared that she'd turn around and ask him who he was again.
But in the end, it was Brian who convinced him to go back and check on the woman he loved.
His feelings hadn't been crushed by her forgetting him- and he prayed, after much googling, that her condition was only temporary. Hell, she might even remember him now.

"You can do this Zacky. I'm right behind you- don't worry" Brian said in support, as Zacky and he made their way down the white corridor to Keira's room. Brian carried Linzee in his arms, and had to duck every few seconds to avoid her sticky fingers getting into his hair, though God only knows that it wouldn't have made a difference, the amount of mousse he had hiding in there.

The doctors had been a little surprised when he'd turned up and asked to see her, but they'd told him she'd regained a lot of her memory, and he'd just happened to catch her at an unfortunate time when she woke up.

Each step made Zacky want to turn back, run away and hide in his house until he forgot about Keira and he could move on with his life- but like everyone told him, it wasn't always that simple.
Two final steps, and Zacky was right in the doorway of the room, Brian just behind him.

Keira was sat up in bed, reading. She hadn't noticed either of the two men, and it was only when Zacky knocked lightly on the door that she looked up, all the colour draining from her face.
"Knock, knock" Zacky whispered, feeling like he was about to break down in front of her all over again. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, before she whispered,
"Zee. You came back" and it was all it took for Zacky to walk over to the hospital bed, take Keira in his arms and kiss her softly.

She deserved everything in the world- he wanted to make her the happiest person that ever lived. She'd thrown herself in front of his daughter so she wouldn't get hurt, and ended up almost killing herself in the process.
He loved her. He loved her with all his heart- and now he had to put it into words.

"When I woke up- I felt like I was still unconscious. I didn't mean to snap at Linzee, or to scare you off, but when you didn't turn up after a week, I figured you'd lost interest. I don't want to lose you Zacky, I've fallen for you way too hard for my own good" she admitted softly, pulling away from the kiss to lean her forehead up against Zacky's. How come this woman could read his mind, Zacky though to himself. It was like she'd taken the words right out of his mouth.

"You couldn't scare me away, ever. I just needed some time to adjust to the fact that you'd all been in a car accident. I missed you sweetheart, I really did" he paused, waiting for the moment to build up before he said,
"I love you Keira"
"I love you too Zacky"

The room was silent for a moment, when he heard Linzee laugh. Zacky turned around to see Brian standing outside, pulling stupid faces to keep her entertained, and she laughed and clapped like he was the most incredible actor she'd seen in her life.
And considering, she hadn't watched that many movies yet- he probably was.
"Let me guess- Brian's fallen in love with your daughter before she can walk" Keira smiled, and Zacky laughed, beckoning Brian into the room, with the all clear that things were OK.

"Tell me it's not possible to fall in love with someone as cute as my little pumpkin? She said my name a few weeks ago- I think she likes hanging out with me" Brian announced as he handed Linzee over to Zacky, flopping down onto one of the hard plastic chairs next to Keira's bed.
"She's started talking?" Keira asked curiously, smiling when Linzee's hand reached out and grabbed her fingers, trying to hold her hand.
"Yeah- she's a real wordsworth. Watch" Zacky replied, and pointed over to Brian in the corner.
"Who's that sweetheart? Who's ego is bigger than his hair?"

It was just after that Brian had shouted 'Hey!' at Zacky, and nervously pat down his carefully styled hair that Linzee clapped her hands together and cried,
"Bri-ba! Bri-ba!"
"And who am I, babygirl?"
"Da-da! Da-da!"

"That's so sweet! You two already look like the perfect family" Keira said, smiling at the two people who were sat next to her on the bed. She couldn't even begin to explain how she felt like a little family with these people she'd fallen in love with so quickly. In the future, maybe she and Zacky would be a proper family, with some more children making an appearance.
"She said your name too, honey. Linz, who's that?" Zacky asked the little girl, confident that those two words she'd said to make Keira wake up would fall out of her mouth again.

"Mama! Mama!" she cried happily, and Keira's eyes went wide.
"Did she just call me...mom?" she asked, tears beginning to fill the bottom of her eyes. Much to Zacky's happiness though she begins to smile, and holds out her hands so she can hold Linzee for a moment. She's a natural, just like all women usually are when it comes to adorable bundles of heaven, and when she smiles at the other two men in the room, Zacky leans down to talk to her.

"I want you to be a part of this. I want Linz to wake up and call you Mom. I don't want her to grow up helplessly watching me not get dates. I want her to have a mother, and to be honest- you're the best that they come. I'm not saying we should get married or anything, because we've known each other for three months- but I want you to be a part of my life. Our lives" Zacky insisted, and before he'd even stopped speaking- she was nodding.

"Of course I will Zee. I love you too much to back out now" she replied softly.
And as Brian stepped out of the room to take a phone call, Zacky wrapped his arm around Keira's shoulder and settled himself on the bed beside her, kissing her forehead softly. These were his girls- the people he cared about most in the world. He wasn't entirely sure how long they'd stayed there for, but when Brian came back into the room with a worried expression on his face, he knew that he'd been there long enough.

"That was Matt. The two of you have just been served" he whispered.
"What do you mean?" Zacky asked, making Keira look up anxiously at the two of them.

"Val's asking for a divorce. And custody of Linzee"