Why Don't We One Shots

Everything Has Changed Pt. 2 - Zorbyn

Zach didn't know where he was going to go, but he got there all the same. And when he pulled up to the curb, beeping the horn, Christina stepped outside onto the porch. "Zach?"

"Hey, Chrissy," Zach says, pulling her into a hug. "I heard about everything. Congratulations."

Christina smiles weakly and returns the hug. "Does Corbyn know?"

"He does."

"Is he coming?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

Christina starts crying, and Zach pulls her into his chest again. "It's okay, Chrissy, it's okay. I'm here, and I'm not going to let you go through this by yourself. Regardless of Corbyn."

"Thank you," Christina whispers, and Zach kisses the top of her head lightly.

"Any time."

The next five months pass in a blur of baby clothes and pregnancy hormones. Some days Zach could barely see straight. But he told Christina that he was sticking around. So he does.

And when Christina goes into labor in the middle of a winter night, Zach is there, holding her hand and talking her through it.

"Christina, look at me," Zach says, hoping to take her mind off of the pain for just a few seconds. When her eyes met his, he says, "Tell me our list of names."

"Okay. Okay," Christina says on exhales, trying to keep breathing. "Paisley. Jenna. Ashlyn. Karmen. G-" She stops in the middle of the list as another contraction hits, and Zach presses her to continue. "Gia. Lexie. Heaven. Evelyn."

"One more push," the doctor says. Christina squeezes Zach's hands until her fingers are white and there are deep nail marks on the back of Zach's hand. She groans in relief and the doctors hand her a baby, small and pink.

"Aww, Chrissy, she's beautiful," Zach says, kissing her forehead and holding one of the baby's small hands. His eyes are welling up at the tiny bundle in Christina's arms.

"She's perfect." Christina is crying, and Zach grabs the box of tissues he brought along and hands her one.

"So how about we put that list to use, huh?" Zach smiles, nodding at the baby. "What are we going to call her?"

"Paisley," Christina says, turning her eyes back to the baby. "Paisley Evelyn Harris."

"Paisley Evelyn," Zach murmurs. "I love that."

While Christina was napping and the nurses were checking over the baby, Zach slips out into the hallway and calls someone he hasn't spoken to in almost six months.

"Hey Corbyn," he says, leaving a voicemail. "It's me. It's Zach. Look, I know that you're asleep, but this is important. Christina gave birth today, January 23rd at 3:03 AM, to a little girl named Paisley Evelyn Harris. Seven pounds, three ounces. I was there, Corbyn. She's beautiful, she's real, and like it or not, she's yours. So get your ass down here, and meet your daughter. Room 595. I'll be waiting." He hangs up the phone, feeling more powerful than when he'd dialed it.

Zach ends up dozing off in a chair beside Christina, and wakes up again with the sunrise coming through the window. Rubbing his eyes, he hears footsteps come down the hall and enter the room. "Mr. Herron?"

"Yes?"

"There's a man in the waiting room down the hall. He's been here for a while."

With his mind reeling, Zach thanks the nurse and runs down the hall to see a familiar blonde head, the only one in the whole room. "Corbyn?"

The blonde head whips around and scrambles off of the chair. "Zach!" Corbyn stands in front of him, searching his brown eyes. "How is she?"

"Follow me."

Zach walks a few feet ahead of Corbyn, not saying a word. Three left turns and a right later, they're standing in front of a window, looking at about a dozen newborn babies. "Which one?" Corbyn asks.

"She's right in front of you. Paisley Evelyn Harris."

Corbyn's green eyes settle on his little girl, and Zach sees a light inside them ignite. "Oh my God. She's beautiful."

"I know." They stand in silence, admiring the newborn.

"Look, Zach," Corbyn eventually sighs. "I'm so sorry. I should've told you, I shouldn't have hid it, I shouldn't have let it happen. I never wanted to break anything between us."

"Corbyn, look at my hand." Zach holds up his left hand, right in front of Corbyn's face. "What do you see? Is that wedding ring still there?"

"Yes."

"That's right. And it never moved from that spot, not since the day I said my vows and you put it on. Corbyn, everyone makes mistakes. But what hurt the most was that you were going to leave Christina to do it all alone. You were going to act like this little girl didn't exist. I never expected that from you. And in that moment, I felt like I didn't even know you."

Corbyn hangs his head, ashamed.

"But," Zach says, "you came back and you fought for this baby. And that took a lot. She may not have been planned, but she was never a mistake."

Zach turns his attention back to the window. "You have her now, Corbyn. And Christina may have needed you then, but I'm not so sure about now. She's strong, stronger than she knew. And me..." Zach shakes his head, fighting a smile. "Well, I guess you'll have to stick around to find out."

"I will," Corbyn says. "I'm ready to be here. I'll change diapers, and get up in the middle of the night when she's crying, and-"

"Corbyn?" Zach interrups.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and admire your girl. You're a father now."

"Right. Sorry."

Both boys turn their attention back to the window, and Zach reaches out, taking Corbyn's hand and squeezing it. "Congratulations, babe. I've missed you."

"Thanks. I missed you more."

"No. Possible. Way." Zach's head falls on Corbyn's shoulder.

"I love you."

"Love you more."

Corbyn chuckles and quotes Zach. "No. Possible. Way."

~