Together Burning Bright

Odessa smiled as she looked out the window that was over the kitchen sink and she couldn’t keep the laughter from her throat. The snow was falling down in sheets and her nine year old daughter Arabella had the two youngest, Oliver who was seven and the spitting image of his mother and Camellia who was four and a spitfire, outside playing in the wet snow. Odessa, in her over sized green sweater and with her light blonde hair piled on top of her head, held a mug of hot cider in one hand and her phone in the other. She was recording her kids-a video she would send to Andy later so that he wouldn’t feel as lonely. He and the guys were on tour once again and this time they had been gone for over two months.

The families had made it through the holidays-Christmas with a nine year old, a seven year old and a four year old had been rough, but they had worked it out. As soon as Christmas had ended Andy had gotten on a plane to fly out to LA to meet up with the guys. Jake, CC and Jinxx all still lived out on the West Coast, but Ashley-much to his dislike-had bought a house with Kit right around the corner. Their little family-four year old Pierce and two year old twins Molly and Elizabeth were over often-especially since Pierce and Cammy seemed to love one another. Dess laughed-all of the band members swore they were done having kids-most of them had three a piece with CC and Christy finally having a little girl…who they named Moira.

It had been so long since Dess had thought of her sister-it pained her to think of the girl who would be forever sixteen and never know her family-and she and Andy had decided that the kids would know about their Aunt, but not much. They weren’t keeping her a secret, but it hurt them both to talk about her, especially since Cammy was all but Moira’s twin, both in attitude and looks. Her kids were so different and it made Dess smile just to think about it. All three of them had her dimples and they all would have Andy’s height-especially Oliver-but all in all they hardly looked like siblings.

Arabella, nine and positive that she was going to be a veterinarian in life-that right there was proof that she was Andy’s daughter-looked just like her father. She had his eyes and his facial expressions. She had that smirk Andy always got-one sided and daring and she also had Andy’s long nose and curly hair. Not just looks though-good Lord the girl was full of energy and passion. She wasn’t interested in music, which broke Andy’s heart sometimes, but she loved playing the piano and she loved singing with her father. No one could ever shake Aria of an idea-once she got it into her head that she was going to do something, then that was it.

Oliver was the exact opposite of his sister and father-he was more like Dess. He looked like her with his moss green eyes, but his hair was a light red, something from Andy’s side of the family. He had Andy’s smile-all of the kids did-but everything else was pure Odessa. He would be tall like his father, lanky and imposing, but Oliver had such a kind heart and he, like his older sister, did not have much of a passion for music. He was learning the guitar and he seemed to like it, but Oliver, again like his older sister, knew what he was going to be in life. An artist, like Dess and a great lover of all things Batman and comic book related. He was calm, cool and collected like Dess and mother and son could often be found sitting in their shared studio, sketching away in near silence.

Camellia, with her straight blonde hair and light blue eyes, was a happy mixture of Dess and Andy, but really she looked spookily like her Aunt Moira. She didn’t just look like the girl, she was just as rambunctious and wild as her Aunt had been. Cammy was obsessed with music-which pleased Andy to no end-and she, just like her siblings, had her father’s passion and keen sense of what she was going to do when she grew up. The four year old was loud, prone to tempers and yet she could be sweet and gentle. She loved to be with Andy in the studio and at only four years old she had taken a liking to playing guitar. She and her best friend Pierce, along with some of the other Band Kids who were musically passionate, would probably join together and form a band some day.

Dess smiled as she stopped the video and noticed that she had some new texts from Andy-along with the ever loving selfie. Even at thirty three the guy still loved selfies and he probably always would.


Andy: Is it snowing at home babe?
Dess<3: You know it is…the end of February always has a last big snow for the winter ; )
Andy: Crap *grumbles*
Dess<3: Don’t even-you’ve been in warmer climates for two months. Plus it’ll probably stop before you get home in a week.
Andy: You have lint on the back of your sweater babe *winks*
Dess<3: Very funny-last time you pulled that we were on top of a hill and it was blazing hot out.
Andy: I know…some things never change. *smirks*
Dess<3: You’re up to something…
Andy: Turn around…


“What?” Dess asked aloud and as she looked up and out the window she noticed that the kids were no longer playing outside. There was a draft breezing past her ankles and Dess felt tears come to her eyes as she looked down at her phone again.

“Turn around babe…” His deep voice called from behind her and Odessa felt the breath leave her chest. She did as she was told and her hands flew up to her face-Andy was standing there, snow in his black hair as he had one arm wrapped around Aria’s shoulders and Cam was being held by one arm and against his hip.

“Andrew!” Dess cried as she ran towards her husband and he quickly let Cammy slide to the floor so that he could take his wife into his arms. She looked beautiful in her sweater and leggings and he never realized how much he had missed her until this moment.

“I’m home babe…I’m home.” He whispered in her ear and Andy nodded towards Aria, who was shuttling her two younger siblings into the den for a movie.

“What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to be home for another week.” Dess cried, her tears happy as she clung to her husband and refused to let go. He had been gone for two months, which was the longest they had been a part in a long time.

“Some things changed…venues cancelled on us and instead of waiting it out…we all wanted to get home.” Andy said as she pulled away from him and their eyes met. Those moss green eyes-Skyping didn’t do them justice and as they stood there in their warm kitchen, Andy couldn’t help but press his lips to hers.


Their kiss was warm, in more ways than one and it was something that Andy had needed. He had been lonely on the road, all of the guys had been, and when they found out that there were problems with venues not getting the right permits-they all agreed that they would go home and reschedule. He had hopped on the first flight out, along with Ashley and the two had shared seats and a cab home. As soon as the cab had pulled up in their driveway Andy had seen the kids and got that devious smirk on his lips. Did they want to surprise mommy? He asked over their shouts and yells and with a gleeful smile, Andy had pulled out his phone.

As he held Dess in his arms, Andy knew that this would have to be the last time he was away from her and the kids for so long. All of the guys had agreed that two months away from their families had been too long and they wanted to save that time for the summer, when all of the families could go out together. They still had two busses and they proved to be quite a caravan wherever they went. Most bands they toured with thought it was pretty awesome-they were like a traveling circus family and yet it worked for them. Andy knew that with more of the kids going in to school that the summer time would be spent touring, the fall and winter recording and then a quick break in the spring.


“I missed you so much Dess…” Andy said in to her hair and she only smiled as she kissed his cheek and pulled him over to the counter. He watched her move around the kitchen, looking her up and down and just drinking her in. She was still sexy to him; even after three kids and he knew that Dess spent a lot of time taking care of herself-he would love her no matter what.

“I missed you too…the kids did as well. Aria is trying to teach Oliver how to play checkers, but she just gets so frustrated with him.” Dess laughed as she poured hot cocoa into mugs and placed three mugs-smaller ones-on a tray and then handed Andy his own.

“I’ll bet those screaming matches are fun. How’s he coming along with the guitar?” Andy asked as he took the mug from her hands and sipped slowly. God he had missed her hot cocoa-Swiss Miss had nothing on his wife and her many talents.

“He’s picked it up really quickly. I think he’s waiting for Uncle Jake to come and visit so that he can pick his brain a little bit.” Dess smiled as Andy smirked and the two of them walked over to the den.

“Cammy? Still wild as ever I see…” Andy said and Dess only laughed as they both looked into the den and smiled. The fire was lit, casting a warm glow across their children, all of whom were laying around on the couch and floor, their eyes trained on the television.

“I get a pretty good workout running around after her…” Dess said as she and Andy walked into the room and took seats on the smaller couch in the corner.


Aria was laying on the couch, her head at one end and Cammy, her thumb in her mouth and her blanket up to her chin, had her head at the other. Their tiny toes were pressed together to keep warm and Andy only smiled as he moved to throw a blanket on top of his two girls. Oliver was on the floor, laying on his stomach with his feet in the air and Dess ruffled his red hair as she set a mug down beside him and he smiled up at her before turning back to the movie. The girls also took their hot cocoa, Cammy blowing on hers and then giggling as the surface of the drink broke in to small waves.

Odessa and Andy took their seats once again and even though Andy had a bunch of clothes that needed to be washed and equipment that needed to be unloaded-he knew it could wait. Here they all were, sitting around the fire with Crow and Dove making their way over to Dess and Andy for some lap time and Winnie, in his old age, managed to hop up on to the couch and curl up beside Aria. It was peaceful being like this and even though it wasn’t rock and roll, according to some magazines and critics alike, Andy knew it was where he wanted to be.

Being a rockstar had been a lifelong dream of his and he had made it happen, but then he had bumped in to Odessa. They hadn’t known what that summer would bring and they never would have imagined it would be three children that they loved and adored, but that was okay-surprises were never a bad thing.


“I love you Dess…” Andy said, his lips against her ear and Odessa only smiled as she turned her head to face her husband. His blue eyes were filled with as much love now as there had been all those years ago…that first summer.

“I love you…very much.” She said, her soft lips pressing against his and they both chuckled as their lip rings bumped together. They were parents, but that didn’t mean they had to stop being themselves-lip rings and leather jackets alike.

“How much?” Andy smirked and Dess only smiled as she ran a hand through his long black bangs-would her husband ever decided on a hair color and length?

“More than I can ever scream…” She smiled at him and Andy only smirked, shaking his head at her joke before their lips met. They were reunited and it felt right…it felt perfect.

Notes

Just another cute little chapter to move the story along. I never expected for the last chapter to make you guys so emotional-sadly you all probably won't like the last few chapters much...they made me cry.

So, if you feel like you're going to miss the gang too much, then I have something for you! I decided to write a collection of songfics and most of them involve the guys and characters from this series. Do you miss Moira? Well the first chapter that's up right now has her, Trish and Brady in it-so feel free to check it out!
Sing And Celebrate Your Life

Review<3

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