Love And Other Drugs

The Meet and Greet had been hard for Luxe, Andy could tell by the way she kept sniffing every time a girl would ask for a hug. Every single fan tonight was able to take pictures with them-Alex had arranged it so that the packages didn’t matter and for the fans who spent the extra money on the Diamond package-they got to stand side stage for each bands performance. Every time Andy hugged a fans or held their hands, he held them just a little bit tighter and just a second longer, hoping with each one that it would be enough to get these fans through another day.

Andy had lost two hundred and twelve-now thirteen-and he wept for every single one of them. The first girl had been when Black Veil Brides had just come out on the scene and she had been to every single one of their local shows. He had noticed that she had missed their show at the Whiskey one night and then another show the following night at the Roxy.

Finally after the fourth show without her there, Andy got a call from her mother. Tricia Reynolds-aged sixteen-had cut herself until she bled out and she was being buried in a t-shirt with his face on it. Andy and the guys had gone to the funeral and Andy had sent flowers and a card to every single funeral for a fan after that. Savior was written for Tricia and all of the other fans who he hadn’t been able to save.

Andy had wanted to do a video for Savior, but the record company wouldn’t let him due to budget. So they had released a lyric video for it over the summer and it was probably their most watched video. Alex had come to the two singers, approving of their plan to get the bands on stage for the song and Andy had cringed as Alex tried to hug him.

Alex was also working with some out reach programs, trying to get them involved in using the two bands as spokesmen for the cause. Andy could appreciate the manager’s hard work, but he still hated the little worm. Now Andy was standing on the stage-looking out to the crowd of kids who loved him more than anything.

Andy smiled as he looked towards the side of the stage and saw Luxe and the girls standing there, sweat gracing their brows. They had already played and the guys had all come out on to the stage to sing with them. Luxe helped him get through the words that he barely knew and as Andy sang along to the girls beside him, he truly found that this song was really fitting. He had never been much of a Green Day fan, but after tonight Andy was thinking he may have to check them out. Now it was his turn to sing a tribute song and Andy smiled as he held up a hand, trying to quiet the crowd.


“Guys-I don’t know if any of you have heard, but we lost one of our Army members recently. Alice Hunt-a young girl who took her own life because she’d just had enough. She loved this band and she loved us and we are all deeply saddened at the news of her passing.” Andy spoke and he heard lots of cries coming from the crowd. The guys had just come on to the stage to sing-there hadn’t been any explanation because this was the song that would mean the most to his message.

“I would like to welcome our good friends The Hollywood Dolls out on to the stage for this next song.” Andy said, smiling as Luxe, followed by Pixie, Lulu, Mads and Char walked out on to the stage. Ashley, Jinxx and Jake had all switched out their electric guitars for acoustic and a hush fell over the crowd as Luxe took a mic in to her hand and the girls spread out across the stage.

“Hey guys-we wanted to come out on to the stage and sing this next song with the guys because Alice was our fan as well. We are incredibly devastated at her passing and felt like this was something we all needed to do.” Luxe said and she smiled as a few fans called out her name, telling her they loved her. Luxe held up her hands, together forming a heart and she felt the tears prick her eyes.

“I want you guys to know that you are all special and beautiful people and to keep in mind that it’s just a bad day…not a bad year and that things will get better.” Ashley said as he leaned into the mic that he was sharing with Mads and Char.

“Yeah-we’re here for you guys! We read all of your letters and your cards and we love seeing your fanart-we love you guys!” Pixie said to the crowd and Jinxx only smiled at the bubbly pink haired girl. They were all in this together-this had changed them forever.

“Keep your heads up guys-we love you!” CC, who had come out from behind the drums and had one arm around Lulu’s shoulders, said in to the mic before they all raised their hands and faced the crowd with their hearts held high. The kids in the crowd-the kids all over the world, needed to know how much they were loved and cared for by these two bands.

“This next song goes out to all of you in the crowd who has ever felt alone. To those of you who always felt like they weren’t good enough-to those of you who have thought about ending it all. This next song was written with you in mind and I will sing this song every day for the rest of my life if it means that one of you rethinks the tragic act that plagues your minds.”

“This is Savior.”


The venue was filled with the soft sound of Jake and Jinxx’s guitars and Luxe began to softly hum along with the extended intro that they were playing. Andy smiled as he shut his eyes and let the pictures of those they had lost run through his brain. Pictures of smiling girls, their bangs hanging across their shy eyes filled with a pained sadness and some had braces or some had glasses. Some hadn’t even been old enough to think about what they were going to do with their lives, but they all had one thing in common.

They had all been supremely sad and did not want to live any longer.

Andy let the sound of the guitars wash over him and he smiled as he looked out in to the audience. It was clear that his fans knew this song-they all were singing it softly as they waited for him to start. But Andy wouldn’t start-he wanted to just stand here and listen as his own words that meant so much to so many were sung to him in a beautiful chorus. Luxe had moved closer to him, smiling as she began to sing and as they both opened their mouths, Andy felt something wash over him as his blue eyes connected with hers.

Love.


I never meant to be the one
Who kept you from the dark
But now I know my wounds are sewn
Because of who you are
I will take this burden on
And become the holy one
But remember I am human
And I'm bound to sing this song
So hear my voice remind you not to bleed
I'm here,

Saviour will be there
When you are feeling alone, oh
A saviour for all that you do
So you live freely without their harm

Andy sang, his voice melding perfectly with Luxe's and the two of them stood there with their eyes closed as the audience sang along with them. This is what he lived for-this is what kept Andy going even when things were looking bleak in his own life. His fans meant everything to him and at first he had been upset that the Dolls had gained some of his fanbase, but as he opened his eyes and looked out, Andy smiled.

His fans were embracing a girl and her band that deserved a lot of good things in life and he was proud to say that their fans were his fans. Two months ago he would never have said it, but now he felt differently.

So here I write my lullaby
To all the lonely ones
Remember as you learn to try
To be the one you love
So I can take this pen
And teach you how to live
What is left unsaid
The greatest gift I give

So hear my voice remind you not to bleed
I'm here,

Saviour will be there
When you are feeling alone, oh
A saviour for all that you do
So you live freely without their harm

Luxe felt her heart beating so fast she thought it might explode-this meant everything to her in that moment. Alice Hunt didn't deserve to cut her life short and Luxe couldn't understand how someone could be so depressed-feel so alone-that they would end their life in such a terrible desperate act. Luxe sang along with Andy and the rest of the two bands and she smiled as she felt her tears begin to run down her cheeks. Alex was setting it up for them all to do some suicide PSAs in the next few weeks and while it wouldn't bring Alice back, it would hopefully help others out there who felt the same way as the poor teenage girl had.

A saviour for all that you do
So you live freely without their harm
Saviour will be there
When you are feeling alone, oh


When I hear your cries
Praying for light
I will be there

When I hear your cries
Praying for light
I will be there

I will be there!
I will always be there!

I will be there!

The song came to an end in the most beautiful mixture of the fans voices and the two bands and Andy smiled as he held Luxe's hand and they all took a bow. The guys still had the rest of their set to finish and so Andy only smirked at the crowd before placing a light kiss to Luxe's cheek and then to the knuckles on the hand that he was still holding. There were screams and shouts from the crowd and the couple only laughed at one another, their eyes filled with tears from the song as Luxe nodded to Andy and then made her way off stage.

The song had been amazing and singing it with Luxe had made it ten times better.

Notes

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