Seemed to stop my breath
My head on your chest
Waiting to cave in
From the bottom of my...
Hear your voice again
Could we dim the sun
And wonder where we've been
Maybe you and me
So kiss me like you did
My heart stopped beating
Such a softer sin


“How was your day at school honey?” Odessa heard her mother call out to her from the kitchen, but the fifteen year old paid her no mind. Nope, all she could focus on was the plastic CD case that was in her hands and trying to get all of the cellophane wrapping off of it.

“Fine! I’ll be up in my room!” She called out, her pink and purple hair swinging in her eyes as her feet skidded across the hardwood floor of the upstairs hallway. She had rushed out to the record store right after school to get this little beauty and she couldn’t wait to get home and play it.

“Dessa! Let me see!” Ugh-little sisters could be such a pain, Odessa sighed as she rounded the corner and was met by her little ten year old sister Moira, who was currently peaking out at her from behind her bedroom door.

“No Moira-mom wants you down stairs!” Dess smirked as she watched the small girl rush down the steps, calling for their mother. Peace at last.


Odessa, fifteen and something of a know it all, finally held in her hands the one CD she had been waiting for forever. The Used’s brand new CD-In Love and Death-had come out that morning and all Dess could think about was bringing it home to listen to it. She didn’t have a fancy new iPod like some kids-those things were freaking expensive!-and so she had to do things the old fashioned way. Now that she could listen to it, Dess found herself gathering her small CD player with the headphones, her trig homework and soon enough she was sitting on the small roof right outside her window. Her mother didn’t know she did this and Dess only hoped that she would never, ever find out.

The soothing sound of Bert’s voice made Dess smile and after the first song finished and the second one picked up, Odessa Montgomery found herself breathless. What was the name of this song?! She quickly flipped over the CD, pressed the backwards button to listen to it again and then began to smile. I Caught Fire-such a pretty song and it had so much meaning behind it. Was this what it would be like for her? Is this how it would feel to fall in love? Would it feel like catching fire? Odessa only smiled, bit down on the tip of her pen and hoped that she would soon find out.



I'm melting, I'm melting
In your eyes
I lost my place
Could stay a while


God it was hot up in her room and Dess only smirked as she pulled her blonde and pink hair up off her neck and tried to think. She had so much to do-her comic deadline was fast coming and she couldn’t focus right now because her walls were shaking so much. Had she been this irritating as a teenager? Dess smiled-yeah, yeah she probably had, but she did need to focus and so soon enough she was moving from her desk, walking towards her door and then found herself outside of her little sister’s closed door. The source of the noise-all of the screaming and guitars were giving her a headache and Dess only sighed, closing her eyes as she knocked loudly on the wooden door before her.


“Moira come on! Some of us have to get some work done!” Odessa called through the door, but there was no answer.

“Moira! Turn. It. Down!” She called out again, this time hitting her fist against the door just a little bit harder. She was about to hit the door again, but it popped open and Odessa took a step back as a poster was flashed in her face and her moss green eyes met a pair of darkly lined baby blue ones.

“I can’t! Ugh-don’t you just loooove this song?!” Her little sister, with her blonde hair teased high was looking at her dreamily, but all Dess could focus on were the eyes that were still staring at her. They were light blue, like the sky, and filled with two things-pain and desire. She had never seen a pair of eyes look like that before and Odessa found herself breathless as she kept looking at them.

“I don’t know-is this actually music? There’s so much screaming…” Dess teased and Moira only rolled her eyes, the poster dropping to her side and Dess found herself slightly sad. Who did those eyes belong to?

“It is music! It’s this new band called Black Veil Brides-they are my LIFE!” Moira said with that crazy look in her eyes and Dess only laughed as she looked around her little sister’s room.


The walls were lined with posters, some of bands that Dess knew and had introduced her sister to, but there were new posters of the same five people, all looking down at her disapprovingly. They were all dressed in black leather, their hands, arms and necks covered in what she could only imagine would be black paint and they had the highest hair she had ever seen. That would explain Moira’s new fashion sense and Dess only smirked as she backed away from the door, but her eyes still lingered on one poster in the corner. It was the same guy from the poster in Moira’s hands, his black hair hanging in his face and his eyes, those blue eyes, were still looking at her. Could he see into her soul? Did he know that she felt like melting every time she locked eyes with him?

Dess only shook her head and began to walk back towards her room, those blue eyes and their ability to melt her still on her mind. They would always be on her mind.



And I'm melting
In your eyes
Like my first time
That I caught fire
Just stay with me
Lay with me
Now


The air around them was hot and Dess could see the shimmering heat right infront of her eyes, but nothing was taking her attention away from the person standing before her. She had just been minding her own business, walking around the venue while Moira and her friends enjoyed their first Warped Tour, when all of a sudden she felt like she was being caught up in a huge crowd of people. She had been able to grab for a pole of a nearby tent, pulling herself away from the group and of course the shade felt nice so she had decided to stay there. Odessa hadn’t even noticed that she had almost bumped into the person standing behind her, until he spoke out and complimented her on one of her Batman tattoos.

It was pretty obvious who this guy was here to see-Black Veil Brides, the same band Moira and her friends were here to see-mostly due to his teased hair, painted face and leather pants. Could she take this guy seriously? He was pretty gorgeous and his eyes seemed so familiar, but for some reason Dess couldn’t place them. He made her laugh and he seemed pretty confident in himself, which made Dess roll her eyes alittle bit, but she gave him her number none the less. As they stood there and spoke to one another, Odessa couldn’t help but feel like she knew him from somewhere. His blue eyes just had a way of looking through her and they both laughed with one another like old friend.


“So who are you here to see?” He asked her, his lip ring shining in the sunlight and Dess only smirked and tucked her blonde hair behind one ear. She had felt out of place here-everyone was in black and wearing band t-shirts and she was just walking around in her teal top with a smile on her face.

“Well I actually came here so that my little sister and her friends could come-chaperoning-but the Used is playing soon and they are my absolute favorite.” She said with a smile and the guy before her, she thought he said his name was Andy, only smirked at her and nodded his head.

“That’s nice of you. Is she more into this kind of music than you?” He teased her, one of his hands resting against the bare skin of her arm and Dess felt herself shiver. Those eyes…they made her knees feel weak.

“I’m the one who got her in to this music. She used to come in to my room while I was gone and steal my CDs. Now of course she likes all of these bands who I have no idea who they are. Black Veil Brides being one of them…” Dess said and Andy only laughed and bit down on his lower lip. God did he have to do that?!


Dess only smiled as they continued to talk and she felt like she was going to melt…but it wasn’t from the heat. It was from Andy’s eyes…



Never caught my breath
Every second I'm without you I'm a mess
Ever know each other
Trust these words are stones
why cuts aren't healing
Learning how to love

Odessa wiped at her eyes, but the tears kept coming and she only sighed as she looked up towards the moon. The cool night air was soft against her skin-it was growing colder and soon enough nights spent on the roof outside her room would have to end. She was sure the crickets were chirping their midnight tune, the frogs croaking from somewhere near the pond, but all Odessa could hear was the one song that gave her comfort. Bert’s voice could always soothe her and as Dess sat there, feeling sorry for herself, she needed something soothing right now. She missed Andy-they had developed a weird kind of relationship where they weren’t really together, but they probably belonged with one another.

Should they be together though? That was the question that kept pinging around in Dess’ brain and she wasn’t sure what the answer should really be. She held a lot of feelings for Andy in her heart, but would those feelings allow them to keep going through the rough patches of not seeing one another? Dess opened her eyes, looking up towards the moon and she smiled as the soft light washed over her.

She had lost so much in her life-her father had been taken from her when she was just a teenager and the pain of that loss still struck her heart every time she thought of him. Losing Andy would also destroy her and there was a chance of that happening if they got together and then had to break things off because of time apart. Dess only sighed as she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket, but then her smile grew as she looked down at the screen to see what Andy had sent her.

Andy: Hey there beautiful! Miss me?
Dess<3: Of course I miss you! Question is-how much do you miss me?
Andy: More than all the stars in the sky right now. What are you up to at this hour?
Dess<3: Actually I’m sitting out on my roof…looking at the stars and feeling sorry for myself.
Andy: Why so sad? I’m actually sitting outside as well-smoke break.
Dess<3: You know why I’m sad Andy…
Andy: Yeah, I know. I miss you too Dess. You could always fly out here…come see me again…
Dess<3: I was literally there three days ago. You know I won’t be able to come see you until Halloween.
Andy: I know…I know
Dess sighed as she took her eyes off of the screen, closed them and pictured Andy and his blue eyes in her mind. They were the only thing that could comfort her right now…



I'm melting I'm melting
In your eyes
I lost my place
Could stay a while
And I'm melting


The room spun around them, but the couple dancing in the middle of the floor only had eyes for one another. It was Halloween and they were both dressed for one another-A black crow, dark as night and his white dove, a beacon in his dark and lonely world. Odessa felt like a princess as Andy spun her around and they both smiled at one another through their masks. All Dess could see of Andy’s eyes were their color-the light blue that reminded her of the sky and made her knees grow weak. Those eyes-she smiled as she remembered meeting Andy for the first time and all she kept thinking about was that his eyes looked familiar. She had felt like a fool once she figured out who he was-Andy Biersack, singer of Black Veil Brides and savior to so many…including her little sister.

Tonight would be the last night for them in a while-Andy had to get back on tour and Dess had to get back home so that she could work. The evening was bitter sweet, they had both decided they were going to play the part of a couple, but Dess knew as soon as she got home that she would have to throw that idea right out of her brain. She couldn’t be his girlfriend…she couldn’t miss him any more than she already did when they were apart. Andy was her best friend and she couldn’t risk losing that with him, but she knew sooner or later that the two of them would be together. Odessa smiled as she looked up and their eyes met and she could see that there were tears lingering in Andy’s baby blues.


“You should be smiling right now Biersack-you have the hottest date in the room.” Odessa teased and she noticed that Andy smirked at her, but it was half hearted and pained.

“I do, but it just sucks that this is our last night together. I wish we could stay like this…forever.” Andy said, his voice thick with tears and his eyes were brimming with those tears as well. Dess only smiled as she tightened her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him.

“We can…any time you miss me, just close your eyes and remember this moment. Remember what I look like, feel like…smell like. Remember me…” She whispered in his ear softly and she could hear him sniffing his tears away.

“Odessa…please don’t leave me…” He was crying now, his cheek against hers and Dess only smiled as she wrapped her fingers in his soft black hair and held him to her tightly.

“I won’t ever leave you…you’re stuck with me Biersack…” She smiled as she pulled away from him and their eyes met. His were filled with tears and she could see that his eyeliner was beginning to smudge slightly.


Dess only smiled as her lips met his and they got lost in one another. They began to burn…



In your eyes
Like my first time
That I caught fire
Just stay with me
Lay with me
Stay with me lay with me now


The firelight was making her skin glow and as Dess looked around a small smile crept on to her face. It was the day after Christmas-Andy’s birthday-and he had shocked them all by showing up on her doorstep. She had no idea what to say or what to do, but things had just fallen into place and they had fallen to the floor, wrapped in one another’s arms and their passion for each other. Dess had kissed him, letting Andy slowly peel away her clothing and her armor that she had wrapped around her heart. Now here they were, laying on her den floor, the fire light dancing across the walls and the twinkling lights from the tree gave everything a magical look. Dess only smiled as she looked beside her where Andy was laying on his side, staring her down.


“Hi.” She said softly and Andy said nothing as he ran a thumb across her bottom lip and moved closer. Their lips met and Dess felt like she was going to melt laying there beside him.

“Hi there yourself. What’s going on in that gorgeous head of yours?” He asked her as they broke apart and Dess moved to snuggle herself into his bare chest. She could feel his fingers running across the small of her back and Dess only shivered and moved closer to him.

“I just can’t believe that this finally happened.” She said as her lips touched his skin, her breath tickling his chest where her lips were resting.

“I love you Odessa…I think I always kind of have…”He said as he kissed her forehead and brought her closer to him. Dess only smiled and then moved so that she could look him in the eyes.

“I love you Andy. I fought that love for a long time but I think I’m finally ready to admit how I feel about you. But…this doesn’t change anything between us…I don’t know if we should make things official just yet…” She was sitting up now, running a hand through her blonde hair and Andy just seemed to be sitting there, drinking her in silently.

“I know, but I’m just happy to have this moment with you. I swear I could stay in this moment with you forever and be completely happy with it.” He said as he ran a finger up her arm and placed it under her chin. Their eyes locked, blue on moss green and Dess only smiled softly as she looked at him.

“Don’t make promises you know you can’t keep…” She smirked at him and Andy only shook his head as he moved to stand up, his naked body ghostly in the low light of the room.


As Dess stood and led the way upstairs, she could feel her heart growing warm, so warm it was threatening to melt entirely.



You could stay and watch me fall
And of course I'll ask for help
Just stay with me now
Take my hand
We could take our heads off
stay in bed just make love that's all
Just stay with me now


Odessa couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think…she really couldn’t feel anything at this point. Her little sister, Moira, the one person she had left in her life, had passed and now Dess was laying in bed, just staring at the wall across from her. Andy wasn’t in the room-he had removed her from Moira’s room so that the paramedics could take her away and now he was speaking with her mother. Dess could hear them, but she didn’t want to hear them-she just wanted to disappear in to nothing. Moira had been an annoying little sister-always wanting to be around Dess and her friends and always needing to have the attention on her. Now she was gone, never coming back and Dess felt terrible for the way she had treated her baby sister.

They hadn’t gotten along and Moira had been a brat when Dess and Andy had gotten together, but instead of just sitting her sister down and talking to the younger girl, Dess had been equally as mean to her. Now she was gone and Odessa would never get the chance to apologize to her. She would never get to tell Moira that she was wrong and that she was sorry. Dess just stayed where she was and even when she heard the bedroom door squeak open and felt the weight on the bed shift slightly, she still couldn’t be bothered to look anywhere other than at wall. A pair of arms wrapped around her and while usually Dess would take comfort from her boyfriend, Andy couldn’t give her the one thing she needed right now.

She needed to get her little sister back.


“Babe? Dess? Dess are you okay?” He asked as he pulled her closer to his chest and Odessa just kept staring off in to nothing.

“Odessa I know nothing I say right now is going to make any of this better, but Moira is in a better place. She left us, but she’s going to always be around, watching over you and me…she isn’t gone forever.” He was trying to comfort her and that was nice, but that’s not what she needed right now.

“Dess? Dess please answer me. I-I need you too right now…I lost her too…” He was crying right now and Odessa knew that his gorgeous baby blue eyes were filled with tears and that made her even sadder, but she couldn’t move.


There was nothing to say and so they would just continue to lay there with one another…they only had one another now.



I'm melting I'm melting
In your eyes
I lost my place
Could stay a while
and I'm melting


Dess looked in front of her, breathing heavily as she stared at the wood of the door and felt her heart racing. She raised her hand to knock, but let it fall back down to her side as she moved to lean her forehead against the cool wood. What was she doing? She squeezed her eyes shut to keep away the tears but then opened them as she thought of Moira. What would her sister think of all this? Moira had been their biggest supporter in the end and Dess knew that she was looking down on them and shaking her head. Inhaling deeply, Dess raised her hand and knocked softly at first and then knocked again a little more loudly.


“It’s open!” Came a muffled voice from behind the door and Dess smiled softly as she reached down and placed her hand on the knob. She turned it slowly, pushing the door in and then gasped at the sight before her.


The room was full of candles, the soft glow making everything shimmer as she scanned her eyes around the room. There were vases of flowers everywhere, covering every surface and Dess felt her mind spin as she tried to take it every single one and their meanings.

Alyssum-worth beyond beauty. Angelica-Inspiration. Azalea-Fragile and ephemeral passion. Baby’s Breath-Everlasting love. White Carnation-Sweet and lovely. White Clover-Think of me. Daffodil-New beginnings. Hawthorn-Hope. Hibiscus-Delicate beauty. Purple Hyacinth-Please forgive me. Jonquil-Desire. Orchid-Refined beauty. Periwinkle-Tender recollections. Phlox-Our souls are united. Purple Roses-Enchantment. Red Roses-Love. Tulips-Declaration of love. Wallflower-Fidelity in adversity. And finally Dess noticed a single Zinnia, which she knew the meaning-I mourn your absence- and the tears came to her eyes.

Andy sat in the middle of the floor, his legs crossed as he held an acoustic guitar in his hands and smiled softly up at her. The shadows from the candles danced across his beautiful features and Dess felt her heart swell as she looked down at him. He was perfect, in every way and she knew that their being apart had been a mistake. He said nothing to her as they looked at one another and instead beckoned to her silently to come sit next to him. She took a deep breath and walked forward, sitting down on the floor across from him as he continued to smile at her. She watched, her legs crossed and her hands folded in her lap, as Andy began to strum the guitar softly and then his voice broke the silence.

Andy began to sing, but all Odessa could focus on were his eyes-those blue eyes that always looked at her with so much love in them-that’s how he was looking at her right now. They had been through so much, had lost someone who meant the world to them, but all either one of them could focus on were their eyes and they both knew…they were melting for one another all over again.



In your eyes
Like my first time
That I caught fire
Just stay with me
Lay with me
In your eyes
I lost my place


“Time to go before the new owners come home…” Dess finally turned from the house and began to walk back towards the car, but was stopped as Andy reached out for her, his hot breath tickling her cheek as he whispered into her ear.

“…but they’re already here…” Dess stopped in her tracks. That made no sense and silently she looked around to see if another car had pulled up. Nope, it was just the two of them and as Dess turned to face Andy she took in the impish grin that laced his lips.

“What?” She asked, not sure if he had meant to say that or if Andy misspoke. The smile on his face was huge, one of the biggest she had ever seen grace his lips and suddenly he was right in front of her and Dess felt breathless as she looked up at him.

“This house…it’s all ours…I’m the one who bought your house Dess.” At his admission Odessa felt her jaw drop and then she launched herself forward, her arms coming to wrap around his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist tightly.

“I can’t believe you!” She kissed him all over, his cheeks, his eyes, his nose, his ears and finally his lips. They embraced softly before Andy pulled away from her and Dess felt her eyes grow wide as he rooted around in a pocket, pulling out a tiny black box.

“Odessa…” His voice was shaking as Andy looked at Dess as he sank down to one knee and flipped the lid of the box open. She gasped as the diamond and emerald encrusted ring shined in the light and Dess could only look from the ring down to Andy as he stared up at her.

“…I bought this house to make you happy, but I also did it for a very selfish reason-I want to grow old with you in this house. That porch-I want to rock on that porch with you every night until we are old and grey. I want to raise our little blonde haired blue eyed children here-I want to push them on that tire swing every day when I get home from wherever I’ve been. I want you-forever. I want to wake up next to you and to know that you’re mine and I want to watch you raise our family because I know you’ll be the greatest mom ever. More than anything I want to be with you for the rest of my days-good and bad-and I can’t imagine sharing them with anyone else…” He stopped, biting down on his lip ring as Odessa felt like her heart was going to explode.

“Odessa Annemarie Montgomery will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He held the ring box up towards her and Dess reached out a shaking finger to touch the small ring that sat between two cushions.


Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down and then looked in to Andy’s eyes and Dess knew…this was always meant to be.



Could stay a while
and I'm melting
In your eyes
Like my first time
That I caught fire
Just stay with me lay with me
Stay with me, lay with me


“When I was a little girl one of the first things I ever remember asking Santa Claus for Christmas was true love. Back then I thought that was this kid in my class named Bobby-but when he tried to kiss me under the monkey bars I knew it wasn’t going to work out…” Dess began and there was soft laughter as she smiled and tried to straighten out the paper in her hands.

“I watched my parents fall in love every year on Valentine’s Day and I knew that I wanted a love like theirs. My father was always able to make my mother laugh, even when she was furious with him and could hardly stand to be around him. My mother spent much of her life taking care of my father and I know she was there with him until his dying day.” Dess stopped, her tears flowing as she looked down towards her mother and noticed that she too had tears streaming down her face.

“…My father is no longer with us, but I know he’s up there with my little sister, watching me marry the man of my dreams. Fast forward to my being fifteen and thinking that I knew everything-I still don’t-and sitting on the roof of our house…sorry mom. I was in love with the new album by my favorite band and I still remember how it felt to sit up there, listing to phrases such as ‘I’m melting in your eyes, like my first time’ and ‘seem to stop my breath, my head on your chest waiting to cave in’. I knew that those words were expressing a love that I had yet to experience myself, but I wanted to so badly.” She smirked as she looked out over the crowd and caught Bert’s eye.


This was the man, who so many years ago had written those words and sometimes Dess felt like Bert had written them just for her. Every time she looked at Andy, even now as they smiled at one another from across the alter, Odessa thought of that song that she had fallen in love with all those years ago. She had sat up on her roof, listening to it over and over again, wishing on every star in the sky that she would be able to have a love like that. It had been hard and it had taken longer than she would have liked, but as Odessa stood across from the man of her dreams-the man she was about to marry-she knew that it had been worth the wait.

Those eyes of his, so filled with love and still capable of making her melt on the inside, those would be the eyes she woke up to every single morning. Odessa kept talking, kept professing her love for this man until finally she slipped the ring on his finger and smiled at him. She wanted to kiss him, but instead Dess just blinked back her tears and smiled.


“I love you…I have always loved you and I always will.” She said softly and Odessa knew in her heart that she meant every word of that sentence and nothing was going to change that.



In your eyes
Let's sleep till the sun burns out
I'm melting in your eyes-I'm melting in your eyes
Let's sleep till the sun burns out
I'm melting in your eyes


The sun was beginning to set and Dess, the corners of her eyes wrinkling with her smile, only sighed happily as she looked beside her. Andy, old and retired from the music world, sat there and smiled as he sipped at his tea and watched the sun set with her. This was how they spent their evenings now that they were both home-together for over fifty years and yet it felt like only yesterday that they had said their ‘I dos’. Odessa smiled as she sipped her tea and closed her eyes. She had grown tired, she was almost ninety and their life, while quiet and peaceful, left her feeling exhausted at the end of the day. Their children, older and with their own grandchildren, stopped by when they could, but mostly it was just Dess and Andy, out in the garden together or making dinner together.


“What’re you thinking about over there doll?” Andy asked her, his deep voice filled with creaks and cracks from singing for most of his life. Dess only smiled, the hot tea warming her from the inside, but there was something else that was warming her.

Andy’s smile and of course those blue eyes.

“Just about life. We’ve had a pretty good life together you and I…” She smiled at him, her moss green eyes twinkling in the fading light and Andy only smiled at her.

“We have…some ups and downs but I’ve been with my favorite girl all along.” He said as he drained his cup and moved to sit it on the small table in front of them. Dess only smiled-Andy always knew exactly what to say to her to make her blush and to make her heart flutter.

“Oh I’m still your favorite girl? I would have thought you’d of found someone else…silver fox that you are…” She joked, brushing some of his silvery hair out of his eyes and Andy said nothing. He just grabbed for her hand, pressing his lips to her knuckles as the two of them grew silent.


This was how they spent their evenings-together on this porch talking about old times and things that they could have or should have done differently. Neither one of them regretted much, but there were always reflections on life and how differently things could be. Dess only smiled as she closed her eyes against the dizziness that had over taken her briefly. It was time for bed and it would soon be a new day for the both of them.


“Ready for bed my love?” Andy asked as he stood before her, holding out a wrinkled hand towards her.

“I am…I always will be.” She smiled at him as the two of them walked towards the door and Dess could only smile. She had melted for this man so many years ago and even now…she always would.

Notes