Chloe's POV
After Brian called and told me what happened, I rushed over to Mom's. I walked in the door from the garage and Mom is just sitting there on the floor. Her lip was bleeding, her cheek was turning black and blue and she was just sitting there up against the wall staring ahead.
I knelt down next to her "Hey Mom, are you okay?"
She spoke almost without emotion. "Of course I'm not okay."
"Mom, I think you are in shock or something. Did you hit your head when you fell?"
"I didn't fall, Brian punched me." Again very flat, with no emotion. "I swore that I would never let a man do that to me again."
"He didn't mean to hit you Mom, he was trying to punch Jay"
"Did he tell you what else happened?"
"Yes, Mom he told me. We should get some ice on your face."
"It's ok, I don't feel anything."
"Momma, you are starting to scare me. Why don't I help you go lay down in your bed and I'll get you an ice pack."
Suddenly her lack of emotion flipped to rage. "I don't want to get in that damn bed, I don't ever want to be in that fucking bed again! That bed is full of his lies!"
"Okay, I get that you are mad at Brian right now. How about one of the guest rooms?"
"I'll lay on the couch"
"The couch is good" I finally got her to the couch in the family room and some ice on her cheek.
I called Max and told him I didn't want to leave her alone. He told me to stay with Mom all day and night if had to. Max said he was going to call Brian and see if he wanted to stay at our house.

I got a text from Brian "Is she okay?"
"Not really. I'll call you when I can." I answered.

Brian's POV
In one night, my world came crashing down. I took Penny's ring out of my pocket, I couldn't help crying.
Max called and invited me to stay over at their house tonight. I told him, that would probably be good since I wasn't welcome in my own home and I didn't feel like going to a hotel.

I called Matt on my way to Max and Chloe's house.
"I really fucked up, I've lost her forever." I told him what happened with Jay and hitting Penny. "She will never forgive me."
"It was an accident, she will realize that."
"But she thinks I was going to sleep with that girl."
"Don't worry about that girl, we have taken care of her. We have the taped confession that she lied. When we contacted the station she was interning at, I talked to the reporter that she was with. She said that the girl was with her the entire time and that she never even spoke to you. She said that she would be willing to talk to anyone necessary to help clear this up. They are very concerned about pissing us off, they apologized profusely. By the way, the girl is not an intern there anymore."
"Thanks Matt, but I don't know if any of that can even help now. I don't know if she'll ever listen to me again."
My phone beeped, "Hey Matt, Chloe's on the other line. I'll talk to you later."
"Chloe? Is she okay?"
"Brian, I have never seen her like this. I'm used to Mom crying, I'm not used to Mom shutting down. The only time she really showed emotion was when I tried to get her to lay down in your bedroom."
"What did she say about our bedroom?"
"Brian, you know she's just not thinking straight right now, I'm sure she will"
"Chloe, what did she say?"
"She said she never wanted to be in that bed again, something about it being filled with your lies."
"I've lost her Chloe, I've lost her forever."
"Brian, just try to get some sleep. There's no way you slept any last night."
"I appreciate you guys letting me stay, especially after what has happened." I said.
"Brian, you are family as far as we're concerned and considering You and Mom gave us the house..."
"Your house is going to be full of memories of when Penny and I first got together. Maybe right now it's the only way to be close to her. I want to remember how good we are together and all the things we have been through. I hope she will remember."
"Give her some time, Brian."

Jay's POV
It was all like a bad dream, one that you just wanted to wake up from and couldn't. It had to be a dream, I mean I follow my ex-wife because I see her driving like a crazy person. She practically lives in a mansion, I've never seen and she's upset about the man she's with. Then the lead guitarist from Avenged Sevenfold walks in and tells me to get out of his house and away from his girlfriend. The worst part of the dream was when Penny was hit. Really terrible part is that it wasn't a dream and I couldn't stop going over it in my head. I called Bianca, I knew she might know the story and check on Penny too.

Bianca's POV
I saw Jay pop up on my Caller ID hadn't seen him in a while and he doesn't usually call me.
"Hi Stranger."
"Hey Bianca. I need to talk to you. Something happened this morning."
"This morning?" Why did I have a feeling this wasn't going to be good.
Jay told me about seeing Penny at the airport and following her home. Then he said, "Was I wrong to worry about her? I just followed her to make sure she was ok."
"No, you weren't wrong to follow her, but I can see how it could be looked at as kind of creepy. Go ahead"
He told me how Penny left the gate open and he didn't even know whose house it was, but he followed her in anyway. He completed with the rest of the story with Penny getting punched in the face.
"What?! Is she okay? What did Brian do?"
"Brian? You've met him?"
I really wasn't in the mood at this point to talk him through the whole relationship. I guess I was just angry at both Jay and Brian right then and I wanted to find out what the hell caused all this in the first place. "Yes Jay, I've met him and I've actually been to his house in California and I go to their house here quite often."
"How the hell didn't I know any of this?"
"Because it's none of your damn business! You two are divorced, remember?" I really didn't want to hear it and he knows me well enough to know that.
"I'm sorry, Bianca. I know it's none of my business, but can you please find out if she's ok and let me know?"
"I'm heading over there now, I'll let you know."
It was time to head to Penny's and call Brian.

Brian's POV
I tried to get some sleep on the couch at Chloe's. I thought being there would help me, but it was just torture. This is the couch we were asleep naked on and Chloe woke us up. Penny and I made love in literally every room in this house, even a closet or two. Even though I hadn't slept for nearly two days, I couldn't get it all out of my mind.

My phone rang, I grabbed it quickly hoping it was Penny. It was Bianca.
"Hello"
"Brian! What the hell is going on?" Bianca was pissed.
"I guess you've talked to Penny."
"No, No I haven't talked to Penny, I'm heading over to the house right now. Jay called me, sounds like you both acted like jack asses!"
"Yes" I admitted.
"So how did Penny go from flying to Florida to accept your marriage proposal to getting punched in the face?"
"She was going to marry me?" I felt like I was going to throw up.
"So Haner, how did you fuck that up?"
I went through the whole story of what happened. I told her that Matt has the girl admitting on tape that she lied and even has her coworker willing to vouch that I never even spoke to her.
"Well, that is good. If we can even get her to watch the video."
"Do you think she will?"
"She probably would have, before you acted like an idiot and accidentally hit her. It might be more difficult now."
"Please try, and Bianca I just have one more question. You're sure she went there to tell me yes?"
"Yes Brian"
I hung up the phone and threw up.

Penny's POV
I was just numb, even though I knew that my face should hurt like hell, I couldn't even feel it. I couldn't even cry, which is amazing since I cry watching cat food commercials. But I couldn't, no tears, no nothing. Chloe insisted I lay down, but I was not going to go back to that bed. I laid there on the couch just looking at the ceiling.

I heard Chloe on the phone, "Yea, I'm here with her. I'm really worried, I'm glad you’re coming over. How close are you? Just let yourself in."
"Chloe, can you come here?" I would have just yelled to her, but my jaw was a little stiff.
"Yes Momma?"
"I don't want anyone else to come over, you should probably head home too." I said
"Really Mom? Seriously? I am not leaving, especially while you are staring at the ceiling like a Zombie!"
"Ok, but whoever else is coming call and tell them not to." I said. Suddenly I knew who it was.
"Too late for that! Not that you could stop me anyway!"
"Bianca, didn't hear you come in. So I assume one of the Asshole twins called you?"
"Jay called me because he wanted me to check on you. Then, I called Brian to find out what happened in Florida."
"So you talked to both Assholes."
"Yes I did. Let's try something, why don't you stop staring at the ceiling, sit up and snap the fuck out of it!" She was almost yelling at me.
"You're lucky I don't give a shit anymore, or I would be mad at you."
"So this is what you're going to do? Just lay on the couch and not care about anything?"
"I guess so" I said.
"Well, I guess it's really good that all this happened and Brian is going to find out about you before it’s too late."
Now she is starting to tick me off. I looked at her. "Find out what?"
"That all this "Love" couldn't have been real. An emotionless heartless bitch never could've really loved him."
Now I was full on pissed. I jumped up off the couch. "That is not true and you know it!" I was screaming at her, stiff jaw be damned.
"I thought you did, but now I have to wonder."
"Bianca, you need to leave! I love Brian!" Then the clog dissolved and the tears came pouring out. Bianca hugged me and I cried for a good fifteen minutes.
"That's it, you need to have your cry." Bianca said

Chloe's POV
Bianca was amazing; I don't know how she did it. Once Mom had her major cry out. Bianca and I sat with her on the couch.
Bianca began "Now that you have decided to be human again, you need to listen. Jay was concerned about you, he wanted to make sure you were ok and ended up in the middle of you and Brian in a lovers spat and he didn't even know what was going on."
"That's true, it must have been pretty crazy for him. Brian was being an ass to him." I said.
"You're not going to dump it all on Brian." Bianca said.
"Mom, Brian was upset. He rushed here to try to make things right and he walks in and you are in Jay's arms. Of course he freaked out."
"He shouldn't have even come here in the first place! He gets all upset because I tell him I'm not ready to get married yet and he goes out and grabs the first piece of ass he can find!"
"For starters Mom, you told him that you didn't know if you'd ever be ready to marry him or even be seen with him in public. Second, he didn't go out and grab a piece of ass."
"She told me! He asked her to meet him!" Mom was about to cry again.
"Penny, she lied. She was some college intern who thought if she got him alone..." Bianca said.
"You don't know that, sure that's what he says."
"Mom, they have proof."
"What kind of proof?" Mom asked.
"I think you need to talk to him and let him show you. Mom, he's devastated. He's at home with Max, he said that you can tell he has been crying."
"He feels terrible about hitting you too. He has to be back with the band less than 3 days, just at least hear him out and let him apologize." Bianca said
"I know he wasn't trying to hit me. My jaw and head are really hurting, can I see him in the morning?"
"That's probably a good idea, you both could probably use some sleep. I know he may finally be able to sleep knowing that you will talk to him. I'm going to go ahead and stay over tonight, just in case you start to feel worse or need someone to talk to. Okay Mom?"
Bianca said "And I'll call Brian and let him know. I'll talk to you tomorrow Chicken Legs"
Mom almost smiled "I'll talk to you tomorrow, thanks Bianca."
"You're welcome." They hugged and Mom said
"I do love him"
"I never doubted it for a second" Bianca said, smiling at her.

Brian's POV
It had been awhile since Bianca said she was going over to see Penny and I still hadn't heard anything. I heard the doorbell ring and then Max walked into the Family room with Jay.
"What the hell is he doing here?" I was not in the mood for any shit.
"I asked him to come here. You guys need to start over. You both care about Penny and I think it will help her get past all of this if you two can at least shake hands and be civil." Max said.
Jay spoke first, "Man, you are one of the best guitarists of all time. I've watched you in videos, worked on playing your stuff and seen you live multiple times. Meeting you is a huge thing, but not if you cheated on Penny."
"Really? Didn't you cheat on her?" This guy was starting to tick me off again.
"I fell in love with someone else, I hurt her really bad, but I never physically cheated on her. I guess that's just as bad. I saw her hurt, I saw what it did to her. This morning, I saw that hurt again, but it was much more intense. I can tell she really cares about you, probably more than she ever did me."
"But I didn't even try to do anything, I didn't even know that girl! The girl was lying and now Penny's going to never trust me again."
"Give her some time, then tell your side. Don't give up." Jay said. Maybe Bianca was right, he's not a bad guy.
"I won't, she's too important to me." I said "Hey man, I'm sorry about how I acted." And I shook his hand.
"I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to jump into your business." He said.
"You were trying to look out for her, I understand and I am ok with that now." I said.
"Once you and Penny get all straightened out, I still gotta hear how you two met." Jay laughed.
"We will tell you, if we ever get this straightened out."
My cell phone rang, it was Bianca.
"Bianca is she ok?"
"She is better and hello to you too."
"Sorry. Will she let me see her or at least talk to her?"
"Yes, she wants you to come over in the morning. She is in some pain right now from being punched and needs to get some sleep. I am guessing you need to get some too. You both need to be rested and thinking clearly when you talk. I told her you have proof, she agreed to hear you out"
"Thank you Bianca!!"
"You're welcome Rock Star, don't screw it up. I gotta go, I promised Jay I'd call him and let him know how she's doing."
"You don't have worry about that, he's standing right here." I said. "We're cool now."
"Well, I be damned. Later Brian."

Penny's POV
I still slept on the couch that night. Brian didn't know it, but I slept there most of the time when he wasn't there. It was just too lonely without him in our bed. Chloe slept in a guest room. My head was killing me my jaw was stiff and my lip was swollen. I don't know what time it was but I finally fell asleep.
The dreams I had were from one crazy end of the spectrum to the other. One, I remember was Brian and I had this beautiful Wedding Ceremony, when we turned around to go back down the aisle as husband and wife, three naked women walked up threw me to the ground and spit on me. Then Brian walked out with them laughing "You ladies were late!" He said. All the guests in the church walked out laughing too. Even my family, Jay and Bianca. I sat up on the couch and tried to scream, but the pain in my jaw woke me all the way up.
I decided to take a shower even though it was still only 3:00 in the morning, I thought maybe It would help me at least relax a little more before Brian got there. I had texted him earlier and asked what time he was coming. He said, "The soonest you'll let me." I replied that 8:00 AM was good. He just responded "ok."
I jumped in the shower the water felt good on my tired body, not so much my face. It hurt when I tilted my head back to wash my hair. Unfortunately, I had suffered much worse in my younger days and it wasn't an accident. Suddenly all these memories of showers with Brian came rushing back to me. I ended up sitting in the shower floor crying. I finally pulled myself together, put on some sweatpants and an Avenged Sevenfold t-shirt and went back to the family room. I still couldn't relax, so I took a walk out to the garden. No matter which house we were at, this was our special place. Brian had made sure when he bought a house here that this garden and gazebo could be recreated exactly as the one in California. I walked up to the Gazebo and I saw a shadow sitting there, I was frightened for just a second until I recognized the man's profile.
"Brian?"
"Penny!" He wiped something from his face. "I'm sorry, I thought you were sleeping and I didn't think you'd come out here. I'll leave."
"Brian, you don't have to leave. Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"I couldn't sleep. It's funny all the nights we have slept apart, tonight I couldn't do it. I couldn't even sleep in the same town, knowing that you weren't mine. I came here just to be close to you." He sounded so sad.
"I couldn't sleep either, I tried taking a shower but that made me think of all our showers together. I came out here to feel closer to you."
"You did?" Brian asked.
"Yes I did. Why don't you tell me what happened? I promise I will stay and calmly listen."
He told me what happened when he got on the bus and how he saw my ring. He said he left the "little bitch" as he called her with the guys and tried to find me so she could tell me the truth. He told me that Brooks stepped back and took a video on his phone of the girl admitting what she tried to do and that she hadn't even actually talked to Brian. Neither the "Little Bitch" or the guys even knew he was recording.
"I knew I liked Brooks! That was good thinking!" I said.
"I owe him one! The guys also contacted the radio station the girl was an intern at, they showed them the video and she was fired. Do you want to see the video?"
I thought about it, "No, I don't want to. I really don't want to see her face or hear her voice again. I know you're telling me the truth. I am sorry I ran away, I should have known."
"I understand, we were both pretty emotional after the proposal." Brian said.
"Oh yeah, the proposal"

Brian's POV
She heard me out and believed me. I mentioned the proposal and decided not to ask about what Bianca told me. I took her ring out of my pocket. "Penny, will you take your ring back and be mine again?"
"Yes, I would like that." She said. "But you have to promise me one thing. That we don't hide anymore."
"What? Are you serious? That's one promise I am more than happy to make. I love you and you are not going to regret this decision!"
"I hope not Haner, but you're right it is time. Ready to go in and get some sleep?" She said.
"I am, as long as I can hold you." She held her hand out to me and I took it. We walked quietly into the dark house and into our bedroom. I turned on the light and saw her face. "Holy shit Penny! I'm sorry I didn't mean to hit you!" I was so mad at myself.
Then my beautiful Penny shined through.
"Wow! I look that bad? Too late Haner, I'm yours!" She smiled the best she could. "Maybe we should wait to go out in public until after I don't look like I was in a UFC fight."
We got into bed and had to sleep on opposite than our normal sides so that she could put her head on my shoulder. I kissed her on the forehead. "You are beautiful, even when I'm an idiot and hurt you."
"You didn't mean to do it, it's past now. You gotta admit in retrospect you and Jay were pretty funny."
"Yeah, poor guy didn't know what the hell was going on." I laughed.
"It's too bad, I know that under normal circumstances he would have loved to meet you. Now he probably hates both of us." She said.
"No, he's cool. I saw him earlier, we shook hands and I apologized."
"Wow, that is a surprise. This has been the most bizarre 48 hours of my life."
"I feel like I have been through hell, but at least I have my Princess Penelope back!"
"I have my Prince Junior back." She said in a sleepy voice. "I love you"
Within seconds I could tell she was fast asleep, I soon followed.

Chloe's POV
I woke up at 7:00 AM, and went to check on Mom. She wasn't on the couch, she wasn't in the kitchen, I knocked on the bedroom door and no one answered. I opened the door and started to walk in and stopped when I saw Mom and Brian in bed. It was very reminiscent of the first time I saw them together (this time they had clothes on) her head was on his shoulder and he had his arms wrapped around her. I backed out of the room and shut the door. "Thank God!" I had to say out loud. I headed home and left those two to finally get some sleep.
On my way home, I sent a text, to Max, Bianca, Matt and Jay. They all said the same thing I did.
"Thank God!"

Notes