Expect the Unexpected (Zack Merrick/All Time Low)

Chapter Nine

Okay, so here is an update YAY! I figured we needed some giggles, so here we go. It's kind of a filler, kind of a semi-big deal at the same time. Please, enjoy!

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Around midnight, five hours after Rian and Cody had went for dinner, Jack and Erika started taking bets on what time they would come back or if they even would. Jack was pretty confident that they would eventually show up within the next few hours. Much to Jack's dismay, Erika was pretty confident Rian Dawson was going to get laid. Shortly after, Jack fell asleep during their viewing of Cinderella. Shutting the television off, Erika covered Jack with a blanket that she'd had and left him to rest.

Still no real sign of Alex, aside from the odd noise he had made a few hours earlier in the kitchen, Erika got changed into her sleep clothes and did what she had to do in order to go to bed herself. Patting Peyton on the head, she slipped into Alex's bed and reached over the dog to flip off the lamp. About twenty minutes into her rest, Erika heard the bedroom door open and Alex call Peyton out of the room.

Rolling over to face the open door, where Alex was waiting for the dog, Erika blinked against the soft light from the hallway and lifted her head a little ways to see Alex better. He was in his own pj's, his glasses perched on his nose and his hair looked like he had been through hell and back.

"Hey, Alex." Erika said softly motioning for him to come into the room.

"Hey." Alex said just as quiet.

"Come here." Erika patted the bed.

Trudging across the floor of his room, Alex took a seat on the bed opposite of Erika. Swinging his feet up so he was sitting with his back against the pillows he looked down at her. Erika offered a small smile, knowing that he was as tired as he looked. Maybe even a little exhausted, mentally more than anything.

"We missed you, Jack and I." She spoke.

"I was...busy." Alex replied staring off into space.

"Did you go see Zack while we were out?" Erika cut right to the chase. Alex only nodded. "Oh."

A silence fell over the two of them, neither one saying a word; the only noise came from their breathing. Shifting to that she was now sitting up as well; Erika rested her head over on Alex's shoulder and sighed. As much as she wanted to know about the visit, Erika felt if Alex wanted her to know he would tell her in his own time. Glancing up at Alex who had his eyes closed, she gently reached for his glasses, slipping them off and putting them on the night stand next to the bed. Alex muttered an inaudible "thanks" before yawning.

"Alex." Erika spoke again, her voice still low. "I think I want to talk to Mrs. Merrick."

She had given it a lot of thought over the evening and it seemed like the right thing to do. If she needed, she could always take the others with her. What Erika really wanted was someone to point her in the direction of Zack's mother and let her do it on her own. It would be far less nerve wracking if she were to break down in front of only one person instead of several.

Earlier she had asked Jack what Zack's family were like and Jack had only good things to say. Then again, if somebody who didn't know Zack were to ask what he was like, Erika was positive Jack would also have nothing but nice things to say. Still, she trusted Jack and he wouldn't give her a false hope and he certainly wouldn't send her off to the sharks. If he thought Mrs. Merrick was going to pose a threat, he would make it known.

"Alone though." She finished.

"I get you her number tomorrow." Alex said, his voice tired.

"Thank you, Alex, for everything." Erika smiled, kissing him on the cheek.