Together Burning Bright

The sun was shining brightly down onto his skin and Andy smirked softly in his sleep. He rolled over, his arms reaching out for someone who obviously wasn’t there. Dess’ side of the bed felt cold-she hadn’t been in it for a while and Andy could only laugh lowly to himself as he stretched his arms over his head. Suddenly he realized what the day was-Christmas Day. His eyes popped open and he looked around at their bedroom.

The huge king bed took up a lot of room, but Dess had still managed to fit a long black dresser, two nightstands and a few book cases into the small room. Andy had planned on turning her lair into an office slash studio to get the book shelves out of the room, but then baby girl had been announced and all finances and attention had gone to her nursery. He couldn’t believe that in a few short months he was going to be a father-something that he had never thought would happen for him.

Andy hissed as his feet met the cold wood floor and he quickly moved to stand on their plush purple and black rug while he dressed. What to wear? Andy thought over his options, biting down on his lip ring as he thumbed through their closet and finally he picked out his clothes. A pair of jeans that by some miracle didn’t have holes in the knees, his ugly Christmas sweater that Dess had gotten because she thought it was funny and a warm pair of socks.

Moving from LA to Virginia-Andy quickly realized that warm socks were a must in the cold winters on the East Coast. He ran a hand through his hair and smirked at himself in the mirror before leaving the room. As he walked down the hall, Andy looked towards the door at the very end and had to fight against his curiosity.

Her nursery was almost finished and he was dying to take a peek at it. Dess was still painting in there and she wanted things to be a surprise. The temptation was killing him, but thankfully just as his hand gripped the knob, Andy heard another door opening and soon enough the hallway was filling with people. Jake was up-Ella probably having been up-as were Jinxx, CC and Ashley.

The guys all laughed as they took in their ugly sweaters, but no one could beat Andy’s with its bright colors that clashed but somehow it was okay. As they all walked down the stairs they groaned appreciatively as smells began to waft towards them. Bacon, something sweet and sugary, coffee and something cheesy-those smells filled the air and Andy felt his stomach grumble at the thought.

The guys all rushed down the stairs, but Andy took his time and as he finally made it to the ground floor he stopped at the front door. Snow was falling down softly and he felt a small smile grace his lips. He had always wanted a white Christmas and now he was getting one. There was laughter coming from the kitchen and Andy knew he should probably get in there.

This was his and Dess’ first Christmas as husband and wife and Andy smiled-last Christmas had been their first as an official couple and next Christmas would be their first with their daughter. To outsiders it seemed like things were being rushed, but for Andy everything was happening at just the right moments. He loved his chaotic life and he knew that with Dess by his side nothing would ever be boring.


“Merry Christmas babe!” He looked up and his eyes grew soft as Andy caught site of his wife. Dess was standing behind the bar, a spatula in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other. His mother, Rose, Ella and Dess had obviously been up for a while getting breakfast started and Andy couldn’t help but feel grateful.

“Merry Christmas!” He said brightly, walking towards her and Dess felt her knees grow weak. This was the man of her dreams-her husband…her everything.

“Breakfast is ready if you guys all want to head into the dining room.” Amy said to the group and suddenly Andy and Dess were alone in the kitchen. He closed the space between them and soon enough she was in his arms, her head resting against his chest as he ran his hands up and down her back.

“Did you sleep well enough?” She asked as she looked up at him. His blue eyes were shining as they met hers and Dess felt a chill run up her spine-he always had a way of looking at her like she was the only girl in the world.

“I did. How’s the little one doing this morning?” He asked, his voice low and still sleep filled as he pressed a hand against her stomach.

“Jumping around. I swear this girl is going to be such a handful.” Dess laughed, smiling up at him softly. Andy said nothing as his lips pressed against hers, his hand resting on her cheek as he held her there.

“Like mother, like daughter…” He teased as they broke apart and Dess only shoved him playfully before reaching down and grabbing the pitcher of orange juice that had been left behind on the counter.

“No-like father, like daughter…” She quipped as the two of them walked towards the dining room. Andy smiled as he stood in the doorway and looked over the scene before him.


His family-both blood and extended, were all sitting around the table laughing and joking while they ate. His father was sitting at the head of the table, his mother to the right while two empty seats sat to the left. Ella and Jake were seated beside where he and Dess would sit, with an empty seat beside Dess and then Jinxx, CC and Ashley filled out the rest of the table. Andy smiled as he noticed that his father and Rose seemed to be getting along quite well with her sitting to his right beside Andy’s mother.

Dess sat the pitcher down and took her seat, but Andy couldn’t move-he couldn’t take his eyes off of the scene before him. He had always wanted a big family, coming from being an only child and now Andy had so many people in his life that he loved. He jumped as Andy felt someone clap him on the shoulder and the group before him laughed as Kit shoved him slightly from behind and Andy couldn’t help but smirk.


“You’re holding up the line Biersack!” She laughed, but Andy said nothing as he only turned to face the red head and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Kit didn’t seem to know what to do in that moment and there was a collective silence as the two embraced.

“Merry Christmas Kit…” Andy said, smiling at her as he pulled away and then took his seat between his father and Dess.


The group all lapsed into silence as they ate the wonderful breakfast that Dess and the rest of the ladies had prepared. Andy laughed as he listened to his father talk about his childhood and Rose would then intersect with a tale from Dess’ past. Hearing that his lovely wife used to run around the house, shouting at the top of her lungs to wake everyone up on Christmas morning made him laugh so hard that Andy almost snorted his milk through his nose. Dess and Kit were having their own walk down memory lane-regaling Ella and Jake with tales about when they were teens and they would both sneak out and walk to a local club in Warrenton that was no longer there.

After a while, Andy was done eating and he could only smirk as he sat back in his chair and look around at everyone. Dess and his mother were laughing about something, Jake and Ella were talking softly to one another, his father and Rose were still sharing tales, while Jinxx and CC were both sitting beside one another seeing who could eat the most pancakes. The only two who were silent besides him were Kit and Ashley.

The two were just sitting across from one another, staring with a look in their eyes that Andy could only describe as a mix between passion and hatred. He knew, from Dess, that things had gone poorly between his bandmate and her best friend, but Andy had chosen to keep his nose out of it. Now the two of them were just sitting there, staring at one another from across the table and Andy couldn’t help but smirk and nudge Dess.

He watched as she took notice and her eyes grew wide and they shared a look that only said ‘maybe things are looking up for these two’. Sighing, everyone finally seemed to be done eating and the men around the table all rose to do the dishes. Andy grabbed for Dess’ plate as he rose, kissing the top of her head before disappearing from the room to help clean up.

Everyone quickly got everything cleaned and washed and Dess soon found herself sitting on the couch in the living room, Winnie in her lap while everyone passed out presents. She had a small pile at her feet, as did Andy and they both laughed as their unborn daughter’s own pile still remained under the tree. The drum kit, guitar, bass and violin were sitting there and Dess had to hold in her laughter as CC, Jake, Ashley and Jinxx all held up their instrumental gifts for the room to see.

Kit was sitting on the love seat next to Ella and Dess couldn’t help but take notice that while Jake was of course sitting at Ella’s feet-Ashley was sitting right in front of Kit. Amy and Chris were sitting on the floor by the fire, along with Rose, while CC and Jinxx were still busy passing out presents. Everyone looked to Dess and Andy first, with Andy looking at Dess to go ahead and open the small present that she held in her hands.


“Open it babe…lady of the house goes first.” He said and Dess only smirked at him, shaking her head as she slipped a finger underneath the paper. She fumbled with the box in her hands, her eyes growing wide as she opened the box to reveal a small black velvet box inside. She gasped as Dess opened it and pulled out a diamond and sapphire bracelet. The diamonds were square cut, but the sapphires were in the shape of small bats.

“Babe!” She yelled out and everyone laughed as Dess threw her arms around Andy’s neck and hugged him tightly. He kissed her temple and then her lips as she faced him and Andy couldn’t help but love this girl more and more each second.

“I’m going to assume that means that you like it…” Andy laughed and Dess only nodded as she held out her wrist for him to help her put it on. He had gotten it special ordered and paid a pretty penny for it, but Andy knew that Dess would love it.

“Alright man…this is from all of us.” Jinxx said as he handed Andy an envelope and the singer took it with a smirk and then ran his thumb underneath the slit at the top.

“What-Holy shit how did you guys fucking manage this?!” He asked as Andy pulled out a few pieces of paper and Dess only looked over his shoulder to read over what it was. She could see that it was a long letter and as she glanced at the second page her eyes grew wide-it was a letter from Michael Keaton, the original movie Batman and Andy’s favorite.

“A lot of calls and patience. Merry Christmas man!” Ashley called from his seat on the floor and Dess only smiled at the bassist. The guys knew Andy-they understood his love for Batman even though it was weird and obsessive, but that’s what made Andy part of who he was.

“Well us next. These are all for you guys-sorry they aren’t very big.” Dess smirked as she pulled out seven envelopes from between her and the arm rest of the couch and handed them out to everyone in the room.


One by one Jake, CC, Jinxx, Ashley, Kit, Chris and her mother all opened their envelopes and one by one they all got shocked looks on their faces. Andy and Dess had bought open ended plane tickets for everyone to a destination that they thought would be appropriate. Jake and Ella would go to Fiji-where Andy and Dess had had their honeymoon and fell in love. CC had a ticket to Russia-a place where he had always wanted to go simply because he had never been there.

Jinxx not only had a ticket to Germany, but there was also a ticket attached to the one place Jinxx had always wanted to go when they were there-Bach’s home and the place where he had written and composed all of his music. Ashley had been given a ticket to Japan-his Hello Kitty paradise and somewhere that the guys had not been since the earthquake. They had given Kit a ticket to Australia-a place she had always wanted to go, even as a kid because she loved Kangaroos.

Chris and Amy received plane tickets to France and Dess knew that Amy had big plans to go see Paris. Finally it was time for her mother and Dess held her breath as she watched her mom open up her envelope.


“Oh Dess…” The older woman sighed as she pulled out a plane ticket and another piece of paper-a picture. Scotland-their home. The picture was of Montgomery Castle-the same one that Andy had found and taken Dess to almost two years ago.

“I knew you had always wanted to go back home…now you can.” Dess said and the entire room watched as mother and daughter embraced.

“This is so amazing Dess…Andy thank you so much.” Her mother was crying and Dess couldn’t keep her own tears at bay as Andy and her mom hugged and then Rose sat back down.


The group all sat around, opening presents from one another for most of the morning. Andy had gotten Dess a necklace and ring to match her bracelet with a promise that after the baby was born he was going to take her somewhere to show them off. Andy had another letter-this time from Dess-from Tim Burton himself and the entire group watched as Andy’s face turned beet red as he looked over the letter. He vowed to hang them both up in his studio next to the signed pictures that Dess had given him last year. Boots, guitars, basses, giftcards, more jewelry and a few joke gifts here and there.

The group all sat around, opening up the baby’s presents because shockingly enough she had quite a few. The drum kit-which Dess scolded CC for, the guitar-which Andy joked around with Jake about, the violin-Dess actually didn’t seem to be too upset about that one and finally the bass-which Andy and Dess both rolled their eyes at Ashley about. All in all it had been a great Christmas and Dess was just happy that Andy and Kit and Kit and Ashley all seemed to be getting along.


“I love you babe…” Andy whispered in her ear and Dess only smiled as she continued to fold the many onsies that had been given as gifts. Of course there were some with bands names-a few of them being Black Veil Brides and then there were some normal ones. Dess loved one that Kit had gotten her-a pink and black one with little skull booties on the very end.

“I love you too.” She turned to him, kissing his lips softly and Andy only deepened things more. He didn’t care about the other people in the room or the fact that both CC and Jinxx were cat calling the two of them.

“Get a room!”

“Stop being so fucking adorable!”

“Can I get in on that?!” Dess laughed at the last one and brought up a hand to flick CC off. Suddenly she got an idea and as she pulled out of the kiss Dess got a devious smirk on her lips.

“Alright! Everyone in front of the tree! I want a family picture!” She smiled as everyone groaned-none of them wanted evidence of their ugly Christmas sweaters.


They all got in front of the tree and Dess moved over to the mantle of the fireplace where her camera was sitting. She never really used it anymore, but it had a timer on it and that’s what she needed right now. Everyone had gotten into position, with Andy in the back and a space for her beside him and next to CC. Dess moved into place, Andy wrapping an arm around her waist as he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head just as the flash went off.

They were all one big happy family and Dess knew that everything would be alright with all of them in her life.

Notes

Aww-an adorable Christmas with the Biersacks. What would you get the guys for Christmas?

So, as of four o'clock yesterday...I have completely finished writing this story. It's done-even the Epilogue and now I just have to continue posting it up. It moves fast in some parts-skipping years at certain times-but it is really good. So, as long as I get some reviews with each posting, I will update every other day. Otherwise it's going to take forever to get this story up and I know you guys don't want that.

Review<3

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