We're Setting Worlds On Fire

“This last song we have to play for you guys is about never giving in! I know that in your lives you guys are going through some heavy shit and sometimes the thought of leaving it all behind is tempting. I went through the same shit-never fit in where I was from and I always felt like the outsider, but I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way! We stand together as an Army now and we need to stay standing together in order to show those around us that they can’t push us around!” Andy snarled into the mic as he paced the small stage and Ashley only smirked at him as he went in to their final song.

Never give in, hey, hey
Never back down, hey, hey
Never give in! hey, hey, hey, hey

We're soldiers, in season,
We can bring change before we die.

The tales of their beatings,
To feel what lies beneath our eyes.

Andy sang and screamed into the mic and as he looked out into the crowd he felt his pulse quicken. Most of the kids there were singing along, their fists in the air as Jake and Jinxx when into an instrumental solo. There were so many kids in the club tonight and Andy knew it was because it was their first show after the album had dropped. He looked over towards their merch table where Jon was standing and Andy felt sad in that moment. Lily had always done their merch stuff and as he looked back towards the crowd Andy almost dropped the mic in his hands.

There she was-Lily-standing in the very back of the room with a small smile on her face. Her white blonde hair was shining underneath the dim lights, her lavender eyes filled with pride and longing as she looked at him. As the song ended Andy watched as she raised a fist in the air, a pair of horns held high and then she simply vanished before his eyes. He blinked a few times and then Andy felt someone come up to him, throwing an arm around his shoulders and he was able to focus back on the crowd before him.


“Andy…” Ashley growled in his ear and Andy only looked to his best friend, his blue eyes wide as he blinked a few times and then realized that their set had ended and Andy needed to address the crowd.

“Thanks so much guys! We-uh-we are the Black Veil Brides and we hope to catch you guys again soon! Our new album We Stitch These Wounds is for sale at our table and you can also find us on itunes! We love you guys!” He said in to the mic, his boyish grin gracing his lips as Andy placed the mic back into the stand, waved to the crowd and followed the guys off of the stage.


He had seen her! Andy had seen Lily standing near the back of the crowd and as Ashley pulled him by his arm towards their dressing room, Andy couldn’t help but feel the happiest he had felt in six months. Andy felt himself being pushed into a chair, but all he could think about was Lily and seeing her again. She had seemed so real standing there-her white blonde hair had grown longer and it flowed around her face in soft curls as her lavender eyes looked at him and he felt himself melt under her stare.

She had been in a white dress that was tight around her tiny waist and he smiled as he thought about her giving him that smirk that she would always give him at the end of every show. Raising her fist in to the air, her fingers set in to horns as she nodded her head to the music. But just like that she had vanished in an instant and as Andy sat there in the dressing room-he felt a sadness enter his heart. It had been too quick-he wanted to see more of her…he needed to talk to her.

Andy knew he wasn’t doing what she had told him to do-he couldn’t set the world on fire right now because he was still so stuck in his own despair. He blinked a few times and realized that Ashley had handed him a red cup filled with something and as Andy took a sip all he wanted to do was spit it back out. He had no desire to drink right now-he wanted to keep a clear head so that he could remember every little detail of his Lily sighting.

The way her lips curved up, the rings on her fingers and how much pride there was in her eyes as she looked at him. Andy stood, passing the cup off to CC as he grabbed his leather jacket and moved to go out the backdoor of the club. His belts smacked against his hips as Andy walked down the hall, his hair was teased and his arms were covered in black paint, but all he could think about was getting outside to clear his head.

Making it to the backdoor, Andy shoved it open with his shoulder and he hissed as the chill night air met his face. It was spring, but spring in Michigan was still cold and Andy had never experienced this type of bone chilling weather before. He looked out into the alleyway around him and noticed that there were a few people milling about, but no one seemed to notice him. Andy leaned up against the wall of the club, his boots clicking against the bricks behind him as he rooted around in his pockets to try and find a lighter.

Finally finding one and lighting up, Andy inhaled a puff of smoke and blew it out as he looked up at the black sky. He could see the stars so much better out here in the middle of nowhere and he quickly located the North Star. Right there beside it was his wishing star and Andy only smiled as it blinked at him and he made a silent wish. Every book he was able to get his hands on about the stars and the night sky had indicated that no star existed that close to the North Star and that only made Andy believe even more that it was really Lily looking down on him.


“E-excuse me…” A small voice spoke from his left and as Andy turned he noticed that there was a very short girl standing beside him, her green eyes wide open in awe as she looked at him. She looked so innocent standing there, her black converse clad feet pointed inward, her white BVB shirt stark against the dark inside of her hoodie.

“Oh-hey. How’s it going?” Andy asked as he snubbed out his cigarette on the wall behind him and blew into his hands. He didn’t think he was ever going to get used to the weather outside of LA.

“It’s going really great! I-um-I came to see you guys and I was really hoping that I would get to meet you. I…I have something to show you if that’s okay?” The girl asked and Andy only nodded as she girl moved her left hand towards her right wrist and soon she was tugging up her sleeve.

“I got it after coming out to LA…I-I was there that day with you guys…” Her voice grew soft and weepy sounding and Andy only sucked in a breath as he looked down at her pale wrist. There, forever inked on her skin were his words- ‘Never Give In, Never Back Down’ and Andy found that he only wanted to cry in that moment.

“You…you were at the battle…” Andy said as he let his fingers trail over her skin and the girl only nodded. Andy looked down in to her deep green eyes and he found himself reaching out and pulling her small body against his own.

“I-I wasn’t much of a fighter and I watched as my best friend got sucked up by one of those floating shadow things, but I’m happy I was able to be there to help you guys.” Her voice was muffled against his chest and Andy only smiled as he pulled away from her slightly and looked down. He didn’t remember seeing her there that day, but then again there had been so many…

“I’m happy to hear that you were there and that you made it out. I-I’m sorry about your friend…I lost someone in that battle as well.” His voice cracked and Andy sniffed loudly to try and keep his tears at bay.

“I-I heard…I’m sorry to hear about your girlfriend. Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you for coming out here and being our leader-we all really needed one.” She smiled at him and even though there were tears in those green eyes of hers, Andy could tell that she really meant what she said.


Andy watched as the small girl walked away from him and he quickly ran his sleeve underneath his eyes to try and catch any of the tears that were threatening to fall. He had never met anyone who had been there that day-who had survived. After the battle Jinxx told him that the EMTs pulled over a hundred bodies out of the building and no one had been able to explain exactly what happened. A gang attack is what the police believed but of course all who were there knew better.

Satan had fought dirty that day bringing in those Soul Suckers-black shadowy two horned Demons that were terrifying, even to someone like Andy. Those Demons used to haunt his dreams as a child-their skeletal faces and blank eyes waking him in the middle of the night as he broke out in to a cold sweat. He had never seen one in real life-until that fateful day and as Andy stood in the alleyway he wished he could go back and change that entire day for he and Lily.

Andy knew that her death was his fault-he should have forced her to go with Sammi and Ella and not come back until everything was safe again. Then she would be alive and he wouldn’t feel so lost. He could tell that his purpose in life was dwindling and Andy was sinking lower and lower beneath the surface of his despair. Ashley was trying to help…enough alcohol could make anyone forget their problems but it was only a temporary solution.

Andy knew that sooner or later he would have to come to terms with what had happened, but for right now he was all for taking the Purdy route to getting over bad shit that happened to good people. Andy looked up at the sky once more, seeing his star up there, still blinking at him and Andy shut his eyes. Was Lily looking down on him in that moment? Was she enjoying what she was seeing? Or was she ashamed of him and the way he was behaving? Silently Andy made a wish, keeping his eyes shut but his lips moved silently.

‘I wish that Lily would come back to me. I wish I could have saved her…’


“Hey man-what’re you doing out here all by your lonesome?” Some asked from behind him and as Andy turned around he could only sigh-Jinxx. The guitarist had been the one guy in the band who didn’t approve of Andy’s self-medicating techniques and he usually made it known.

“Hey man. Just standing out here smoking a cigarette.”Andy said as he quickly pulled another one out of the pack and held it between his teeth. Jinxx approached him slowly and Andy smirked as he turned and caught eyes with one of his closest friends.

“Ashley said he has some girl inside who wants to meet you. What did he say-she’s fresh off the farm…” Jinxx rolled his eyes as he leaned up against the wall and stood silently next to the mourning singer.

“Oh…I better get in there…” Andy said, finishing his cigarette and he moved to walk towards the door, but Jinxx resting a hand on his arm stopped him.

“Andy…” Jinxx said, his voice sad and he felt sad as Andy turned and looked him in the eyes. Andy used to seem so happy and carefree when Lily was alive, but all that shone in his eyes in that moment was pure misery.

“Yeah.” He turned around and looked Jinxx in the eyes and Andy immediately knew it was a mistake. The guitarist had the most disapproving look in his light colored eyes that Andy had ever seen in his life.

“Don’t take what Ash says about love and living too seriously…he’s got some stuff going on that he’s trying to take out on the world and it’s only hurting him.” Jinxx said and Andy thought about his words for a moment. Ashley looked at humans and the world in general as his playground and it was because he didn’t believe in love. Andy not only believed in love but had experienced it himself.

“I-I know. I just don’t want to feel anything right now…not until I find Lily.” Andy said, his hand moving to grab for the doorhandle and Jinxx only looked at him. Andy looked up at the sky, the stars reflecting in his hauntingly sad blue eyes.

“Do you really think she’s out there?” Jinxx asked and Andy only smirked as he pulled the door open and was met with loud laughter and shrill giggling. Andy looked up at the sky once more, saw that his star was still winking at him and he smiled.

“I do. I really, really do…”

Notes

Another update for you guys! It makes me so happy to see that so many of you are enjoying this story so far. I was afraid I would lose a lot of you with the death of Lily-but she's back! Well-kind of, but still!

Please read and review <3

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