There he was sitting with his greasy black hair pulled back in a baseball cap. His t-shirt was ripped and he looked like he was scratching his neck nervously. Harry couldn't help but wonder how they were friends. If it hadn't been for Delaine, he probably wouldn't have found himself being friends with someone like Levi. He was an addict and an alcoholic - two things that Harry tried to stay away from. It was a lifestyle that he never wanted to find himself wrapped up in again. He was sober since he moved to Vancouver. He hadn’t touched a cigarette or even drank profusely since the move. That was his old lifestyle. He didn’t want to be reminded of it anymore. Yet here he was staring his past in the face. How he was friends with someone that was so wrapped in a world of drugs and partying seems foreign to him now. How even fell hopelessly in love with his cousin is an even bigger mystery.

His pace was slow. The uneasy feeling that was in the pit of his stomach would not settle. He didn't know why he was here, and why he was here now. This was his past, and he wanted to keep it there. He was moving on with his life, with a quirky brunette that loved tea and books. 

Up close, Levi was in a more rough shape than he thought. The skin on his hands were scarred and his eyes looked bloodshot; either from the drugs or the jet lag (he would soon find out). How he managed to get through security in this state was a mystery.

"Levi." His tone was short. Yet that didn't stop the genuine smile from plastering to Levi's face. He scrambled to his fee, making sure he didn't lose his balance, and engulfed Harry in tight embrace. 

"Harry!" His accent was strong and his voice was rough. It was clear that he had a few too many cigarettes in his short time span. "Ya look good mate! Canada has done ya well, ay." 

"Yeah, it's been good."  Harry sat back down on the bench with Levi following him. "Are you well?"

"Yeah mate. Been sober for a year now. It's been rough, but I'm trying. You?” 

“I haven’t touched a cigarette since I moved here.” 

“Good on ya!”

Harry gave him a nod and studied his face. He wasn't twitching or showing any other sides of using. He believed him. "Why are you here, Levi?" 

Levi scratched the back of his neck once again. He was nervous. That was clear. He grabbed his backpack and pulled out a small box. It was familiar. It was the box that Delaine would store all of her precious notes and valuables in. 

"I was cleaning up and found this." 

"Delaine's box."

"Yeah." He pulled it open and took out a small envelope. "I was gon'a send it to ya with the letter, but I had to check it out first. Make sure it was creditable. Ya know how she was. Always lyin' and pullin' shit. I didn’t want to give this to you unless I knew that it was for real."

Harry knew quite well how non creditable she could be. That was just one of the qualities that he found attractive. She kept him on his toes. He shook his head at the thought.

"Well? What is it?"

"Open it up. This is somethin' you need to read for yer'self."  

Opening up the envelope a piece of paper was folded around a picture.

No. "You're messing with me right?" 

"I'm sorry mate."

In his hands was a sonogram of a two month old fetus. His fetus. It was dated a month before she was killed. "You're telling me that I was going to be a father?! She fucking hid this from me? This must be a fucking joke." He was in rage. He could feel his face heat up and his hands began to shake. 

"Read the note, mate. She explains it all in there."

"And you're sure this is real?"

"Yeah. I got it checked out. A real professional and everything. I wouldn't lie to you, Harry. You were a brother to me."

He was in a state of shock. Why now? Why was he only finding out about this now? How could she?

He unfolded the letter, his hands still shaking from the news. In her handwriting that he knew too well was a note. 

Dearest Harry, 
I know you must hate me right now. I understand that. I didn't want to tell you because I was scared. I loved you so much but I knew that I wouldn't be able to give you this baby.
They were after me. You know that now. But I've been keeping something from you. I didn't tell you the reason why they were after me was because... well, because I was pregnant. I was pregnant with your baby and they weren't happy about that. 
I wasn't supposed to be with you. That wasn't the plan. I was supposed to marry my bosses son and live a life full of gang related nonsense. But that changed when I met you. You were my prince! My hero.

I am so sorry Harry. I am sorry that I didn't tell you. I'm sorry that you lost not only me but your baby. 

You would have been an amazing father. I hope that you find someone that will be able to give you that. 

Yours always, 

Delaine 

She was not his. If she was his, she would have been honest with him. He would have fought for her. He was in love with her! Yet again, her selfishness took over and she chose to take away herself and his baby. Their baby.

"This is fucked up." He muttered under his breath.

"I know mate. I'm sorry." Levi stood up. "I'll be in town for a week. Number's the same. Call me if you want to get a beer or somethin'. See ya around, Harry."

With that he walked away. He left him here, on a park bench, feeling hopeless and the pain that he had long forgotten.

A father.

He was supposed to be a father.

Harry stood up and slammed his hand against a nearby tree. He let out a yell, thankful that nobody was nearby. He looked around the abandoned park. It slowly becoming blurry. He walked to his car and slammed his foot against the tire. His hands were pulling through his hair, tugging at the ends harshly.

A father.

Harry got into his car and began the quick journey to his apartment. He quickly walked up and threw the door open. He threw the box to the floor. In the back of his closet was a box that he had long forgotten about. It was a box of her things. He opened it up and began to throw all of the objects against his wall. Pictures of her and of them together.  He took out the glass jars that she made for him, full of her favourite memories and threw it against the wall. Shards of glass spewed everywhere. He didn't care though. He was angry, hurt, sad - every emotion possible. 

He walked over to his alcohol cabinet and grabbed his favourite bottle of scotch. He didn't even bother with a cup. He opened it up and began to drink. 

The burning sensation of the scotch dripped down his throat. The sensation took over his senses. Everything around him became blurry. He sat and he drank, and drank, and drank. He didn't care at this point. Everything that he thought he knew was a lie. He thought she trusted him. Hell, he thought she loved him. 

That was a lie. 

If you love someone as much as you say, you would have been honest with them. Especially about something as important as this. A baby. He was going to have a baby and she took that away from him. Not only did she take herself away from him, but he took away something that they made together. 

How was he supposed to move on from something like this? How was he supposed to turn to Ava and love her with all of his heart, when it was breaking inside. 

Ava. 

"Shit-" he slurred. "Shit, I'm such a fuck up." He began to cry as he downed the last bit of scotch. 

That night, Harry broke. He lost a part of himself. He had been moving on. He had mustered up enough strength and courage to move on with someone that he loved. How was he supposed to trust that she wasn't going to hide something this massive from him. Ava said that she loved him too. How was he supposed to believe that? He believed her when she said she loved him. Look what that brought him. Nothing but heartache and bitterness. 

Was he willing to take that risk with Ava? Was he willing to let Ava into that broken part of his heart? He wasn't sure if he was willing to allow her to put the pieces back together. At this point, rotting in his own self misery seemed more attractive.

The next two days, Ava tried calling Harry. She called and called and called, but he wouldn't pick up. She was worried. After her shift, she called him again but he did not answer - straight to voicemail. 

The bus ride to his apartment seemed like years. His car was in his usual parking spot, signaling that he was in fact home. This only made her even more anxious. She pounded on his door not caring if she was disturbing his neighbours. 

"Harry! Damn it open this door!" She bent down and picked up his spare key from under his mat. 

She opened up and was shocked by the sight before her. His place was completely smashed.  She was choked by the stench of body odor, smoke, and stale alcohol. "Harry?" She tried once more. 

She walked into his living room and was shocked. Harry was passed out on his couch. His tattooed arm was wrapped around a bottle of vodka and a string of cigarettes were scattered across his coffee table. 

She rushed over and quickly grabbed the vodka bottle out of his grasp. "Delaine, no." He yelled. 

"Harry, it's me! Ava--" She tried to shake him awake. 

His eyes were bloodshot. She jumped slightly at the sight. His breath smelt like a mixture of scotch and vodka. He wreaked. "What happened?" She whispered. 

"My life.. my life... is a fucked up mess, Av...Ava. Get out! Leave me alone." He slurred. 

She shook her head. “No- I'm not leaving you like this. Get up you need to have a shower. You can’t live on a diet of vodka and cigarettes. This isn’t you, Harry. Tell me what is going on."

"You don’t know me.” His voice was full of venom. “Get out! Fuck it Ava. Just leave me alone." 

She could feel the tears build up. “You’re drunk,” she cried out.

"Damn it. Don't cry! Just get out of here!" She couldn’t recognize his voice. It was lower than usual and raspier. It was evident that the mass amounts of alcohol that he had consumed for god knows how long was taking a massive toll on his voice.  

She stared at him dumbfounded. "Don't shut me out. Stop! Don't do this, Harry." Her voice was weak. Her heart couldn't handle the sight before her. 

"Just...." he looked at her. His eyes were clouded and bloodshot. She could barely recognize him. "Go." His voice croaked out.  

She got up and walked out. The tears falling as she made her way to the bus stop, completely lost and heartbroken. 

---

A change in events! I felt like this story was lacking drama. Boom! There it is. 

Vote please! I know I always say +5 votes for an early update. But it'd be rad if you could all vote if you read this. That would make my heart beat with joy! Please comment too. I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on this story. 

-J