love at first sight.

Matt frowned slightly as he watched, only then noticing that the redhead was bleeding. "Make sure she's okay," he said, kneeling down to watch. He'd seen some shows get pretty violent before, but it looked like this girl might need stitches in her head. He kind of wanted to find that guy and personally kick his ass for beating on a girl.

---

"Pipes, you're bleeding," Mia said, frowning. She reached up and pushed Piper's hair away from her face, looking over when security motioned for them to come over. She took Piper's hand and led her over to the gate, letting them help her friend out first before they helped her out. They led the two of them backstage where a first-aid kit was.

Brian watched with wide eyes, shocked how well the girl had handled herself let alone take getting her head cut open so well. He looked over at Matt, noticing how pissed he seemed to look about the whole situation. He watched the redhead and her friend be lead backstage by security, unable to stop himself from checking out the brunette. She was hot.

---

Piper sighed softly as she let one of the EMTs clean off her forehead. "I'm sorry I ruined the concert Mia," she mumbled. She honestly was more dazed than in pain at that point so she was sure she probably had a small concussion as well now.

Matt stood back up and put on a grin. "Alright, let's do this," he said, looking back at the guys. "Start from the first chorus?" Once they gave him the okay, he cued them in and went right back into the song. He definitely felt bad about the situation and he'd have to make sure that the girls got tickets for another show to make up for this one.

---

Mia frowned and shook her head. "It's not your fault, Pipes," she said, reaching out and taking her friend's hand. "You didn't ruin anything, that asshole did." She looked at the lady and bit her lip. "Is she gonna need stitches?" she asked.

The woman nodded her head. "I think five should do it. It's not too big of a gash, but it is deep. The guy must've been wearing a ring or something," she said.

Brian nodded when Matt spoke, playing and stood by Zack who seemed just as worried by what happened as he had been. He tried to stay focused, finding himself messing up once before he forced himself to focus on playing and not the injured girl.

---

"Am I okay to go back in the pit after you're done," Piper asked. She didn't want to miss anymore of the show than she currently was if she was medically cleared. She felt shitty that she had ruined the show for Mia even if she insisted it had been the guy's fault.

Matt continued on with the show like everything was normal, knowing he had to be professional about this. He didn't know why he was feeling so strongly about the whole situation, it wasn't like he hadn't seen fights break out at concerts before. Maybe it was because it was a girl who had been hit, and not some random drunk guy.

---

The woman shook her head. "It's not safe for you to be in there," she said. "You're lucky you're not concussed."

Mia looked away when the woman started stitching up Piper's wound, feeling a bit queasy. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled it, wondering if the guy had been forced to leave completely or if he was just outside the venue waiting for them. She shook her head, not wanting to think negatively.

Piper frowned. "Am I medically cleared to leave your care or not," Piper asked. She honestly couldn't care less if the doctor thought the pit was dangerous. Once the doctor said she was fine the redhead got up, talking Mia's hand and walked over to security. "Take us back to the pit," she stated. "Or I will let Kelly know everything you guys have let slide tonight."

The security guards glared at Piper, knowing just how serious she was and got her and her friend back in the pit where they had originally been in the front and center. Piper put Mia in front of her again, smiling at her friend and sang along with Matt.

After the show, Matt walked backstage, grabbing a towel to dab some of the sweat from around his face and neck, and then a cold beer. He took a few swigs, asking Dan to go find the girls from earlier and bring them back so he could have a chat with them. He wanted to make sure both of them were okay and offer them some tickets to another show where they could maybe have a better time.

---

Mia sighed contently as the show ended, turning to look at Piper. "Ready to go?" she asked. She really didn't want to have to drive with all the crazy drunks out on the roads, but she knew she had no choice. Piper was in no condition to drive right now, especially with the medicine that the EMT had given her for the pain. She turned when she felt a tap on her shoulder, seeing Dan standing there. "Oh, hi," she murmured.

"You guys want to come backstage?" he asked.

Brian smiled and he sat down besides Matt. "I can't believe that chick tossed that dude over the guard rail like that," he chuckled. "Made that dude her bitch." He found it even more impressive that he saw her in the pit again later with her friend again, smiling and singing along with everyone else.

---

Piper looked at Dan, nodding before she took Mia's hand. "Ready to go down the rabbit hole babe," she joked. It was a joke Piper and Mia had about going on adventures or if they ever met a celebrity or band it would be like living in wonderland where crazy and impossible things happened all the time.

Matt snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, that was great," he said. "I just hope she's okay. She was bleeding pretty badly." He looked up when Dan came in with the girls and he stood up, grinning at them, showing off his dimples. "Hey. You put up a pretty good fight out there. I was actually surprised." He chuckled, extending his hand out. "I'm Matt."

---

Mia grinned as she watched Matt, biting her lip hard. She just had a feeling that she was gonna end up embarrassing herself here, but she was still happy. She reached out and shook Matt's hand. "I'm Mia," she said. "This is Piper. She knows her way around drunks and security guards."

Brian chuckled as he stood up to introduce himself to the girl's. He walked up to Mia and held his hand out. "I'm Brian," he spoke. "It's nice to meet you both." He looked at the redhead and gave her a smile. "You're a badass."

---

Piper smiled and shook Matt's hand. "It's nice to meet you guys too." She laughed when Brian told her she was a badass, finding it amusing that they thought she was a badass because of it. "Thanks I guess," she mumbled.

Matt chuckled and smiled at them. "Well, I'm glad you're okay," he said. "I'm sorry you had to miss some of the show. I'm gonna talk to some people and see if maybe we can get you some tickets for the next one, to make up for this one." He felt like he owed it to them. He looked at the bandage on Piper's head and made a face. "Let me guess, stitches?"

---

Mia laughed softly. Well, it was the truth, Piper was a badass. She was amazing and Mia was so lucky to have her. She was glad she'd cut class that one day and ran into her in the parking lot. If she hadn't, then she honestly had no idea where she'd be right now. Piper had helped her through some tough times and she would never be able to repay the other girl for that.

"You never said what your name was," Brian spoke to the brunette. He had his hand out to shake Mia's hand. The brunette was definitely attractive and he wouldn't mind having sex with her all night long.

---

Piper smiled and nodded. "Yep five stitches." She carefully lifted the gauze and showed it to him before putting it back in place. She let out a laugh when Johnny mumbled that she deserved a big swig of whiskey for how gnarly the wound looked. "I'll take that shot if you're willing to share."

Matt chuckled. "Well, at least you don't have brain damage," he said awkwardly, smiling sheepishly at the look Zacky gave him. He cleared his throat and walked over, grabbing two waters and handing them to the girls. "You guys are probably thirsty. Here, sit down, relax."

---

Mia smiled and reached out, shaking Brian's hand. "I'm Mia," she introduced herself. "It's good to meet you." She had always said Brian was her favorite, and meeting him in person was making butterflies erupt in her stomach like she'd never felt before, even when she'd kissed Scott Talbott in tenth grade. And he'd been her biggest crush for years before that, since, like, first grade.

"Its no to meet you too Mia," Brian stated. "Do you want something towering liked a water or maybe a beer?" He knew getting drunk with a girl usually helped his chance of getting laid but he only ever acted on anything if the girl was onky buzzed. If was straight up drunk he refused to touch her.

---

"Trust me if I dont have brain damage from all the bar fights I used to break up breaking that assholes nose with my forehead won't," she chuckled. Piper took the beer that she was offered, opening it and took a swig. "So we you guys going straight back to the studio after thia tour is up or do you plan on taking a break?"

"Well, we're not sure yet," Matt said. "We've been doing a bit of writing here and there, but we're not sure we're ready for the studio just yet." He leaned back, sighing contently. "How many concerts have you been too? It looked like you definitely knew what you were doing out there."

---

Mia smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, a beer sounds great," she said, taking it when he handed it to her. She took a swig and crossed her legs, looking around the room. "The show was really great. I just wish I could have seen all of it." She honestly hadn't even wanted to go back after Piper had gotten hurt, but the other girl had insisted and still put Mia in front of her even though she was hurt.

"Well I'm since we all agreed to it you'll be getting tickets to our next show and probably some back stage passes on top of that." He left to grab her a beer, walking back fairly quickly and handed it to her. "How long have you bern a fan?"

---

"I used to work as security at this venue and I've also been a bouncer at bars before too." She took another drink of her beer and laughed at Zacky's look of shock. "You saw what I did with drunk and buff imagine how much easier it is to do that with fat and drunk."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Wow," he said, chuckling softly. "I guess that really makes sense. You are pretty badass, huh?" He grinned as he looked at her. She seemed pretty petite for someone who worked as security and a bouncer, but hey, he wasn't judging. She was also quite beautiful, if he said so himself. "How long were you working as security?" He asked.

---

Mia smiled at him. "Thanks," she said, taking a swig of the beer. She smiled as she thought about the good old days in college when Avenged got her through the exams and the papers. She smiled. "Since you guys first started," she said. "I started listening in my last year of high school. Piper introduced me to you, actually. And then I really got into the music when I went into college. It really helped with the stress."

Brian smiled, finding out Mia was a devoted fan and legal. "What did you go to college for," he asked. He was genuinely curious if she was a smart chick with a good degree and subconsciously it bothered him that he cared. It was only supposed to be a hook up not a date or long term attachments.

---

"I worked it as my primary job straight out of high school," Piper replied. "Now it's more odd jobs here and there from places I used to work." She finished off her beer and set it on the small table next to her. "Now I work at the La Brea tar pits as part of their archeological cataloging branch.

Matt nodded. "Wow, that's awesome," he said. "You should be Jimmy's personal bodyguard, as many fights as that guy gets into." He chuckled and shook his head. He looked up when a group of girls and some guys came in. He smiled and stood up. "I'll be right back," he said. He walked over and greeted the fans, signing things and taking pictures. He glance back at Piper, biting his lip gently. He definitely had a thing for her.

---

Mia smiled. "I'm an RN," she said. "I work at the local CHKD." She'd always had a love for children, and she'd always wanted to be a nurse. The school was definitely expensive but it was worth every penny. She was doing what she loved, helping children. "I love helping children, you know?" She was surprised to even be having this conversation with him, but at the same time, she was really enjoying it. And she was definitely enjoying the fact that he was curious.

"Do you plan on having a kid of your own one day," Brian asked. "Or has your job scared you off from it?" He knew some of the stuff kids went through now a days was scary especially since he used to hear stories about it all the time from his mom when she had worked in a pediatric intensive care unit when his parents were still together and happily married.

---

Piper chuckled at Matt's comment. She would definitely bodyguard for Jimmy if he wanted it. She knew it would be super fun even if it would get old at times but that was her life sometimes, fun then boring. She started talking to Johnny, laughing when he said he could out drink her. "Oh Johnny boy I can out drink the best alcoholic out there without puking."