Lips That Need No Introduction

"I can't believe she's two already." Zacky groaned as he knocked back a sip of his beer. He rubbed his temple lightly with one hand while the other balanced the bottle on the arm of the wooden lounge chair he was sitting in out back.

I nodded in agreement as I sat beside him and watched as Tevan played with Ichabod, Bella, and Pinkly in the grass.

She had grown up so much in the past year and it was hard to stomach as a parent.

"Oh suck it up Zack. Be a fucking man." Brian told him as he too tipped back his beer.

"I am a fucking man. Just ask Katie if you want the proof. You don't have to deal with the terrible two's stage Syn so shut the fuck up." Zacky retorted in retaliation playfully.

"All I know is I don't ever want to hit that stage. I'd also like to know how in the world you managed this for nine months." Val groaned as she waddled her five month pregnant self over to a chair beside Matt who was observing quietly.

"You get used to it." I chuckled. "I'm surprised you haven’t by now."

Val was a super cute pregnant chick despite how much she complained about it. There was always something wrong or something that just didn’t feel right. I honestly felt bad for Matt having to deal with it day and night. At least I didn’t complain to Zacky much while I was pregnant.

"It's just inconvenient and uncomfortable." She mumbled lightly.

"Then you should have used a condom." Brian snickered earning a slap on the arm from Michelle.

"Hey now. I actually want a kid." Matt said with a frown as he subconsciously rubbed Val's protruding stomach.

They were going to make such great parents. I just knew it. I could confidently say I think everyone in the group would make great parents, especially after seeing them all interact with Tevan. They treated her as if she was their own most of the time.

Speaking of Tevan, I turned to watch her run toward the porch with the dogs on her heels. Her small legs carried her through the grass but once she reached the steps Bella pushed her forward causing her to hit the steps with her hands and knees. It wasn't a small hit either.

I grimaced as Tevan's eyes scrunched up and she let out a wail. "Daddy! Mommy!" She yelled as tears instantly flooded to her green eyes. Zacky and I instantly stood and hurried over to where she was kneeling still. He picked her up and I looked at her red hands. Thankfully she had jeans on and so her knees were fully protected from the impact. Her hands were another story though.

"Aw man." Zacky stated as my eyes widened when we both spotted the splinter nestled under her thin skin on her hand. Tevan buried her head in Zacky's neck as she continued to cry but she let me hold onto her hand.

"Got a splinter. We'll be right back." I told them as the three of us meandered into the house and into the bathroom where I pulled the tweezers out of the drawer.

"Zack babe you've gotta do this." I told him knowing I wouldn’t be able to do it since there was a possibility of hurting my baby even more.

"Tev let mommy hold you so I can get the splinter out." He told her softly in her ear. She merely nodded and reached her arms out to me instead.

"What's a plinter?"

"Splinter babe. It's a small piece of wood that got stuck under your skin when you fell." Zacky explained as Tevan wrapped her arms around my neck and hid her head again as small tears continued to fall from her eyes. "It might hurt a little bit babe but you've got to let me get it alright?"

"Ok." I watched in the bathroom mirror as Zacky came around behind me and took Tevan's hand. He had now added needle to his hand along with the tweezers. It was really lodged in there.

I tightened my grip on Tev as she started to whimper as Zacky dug beneath the skin. When he used the needle to pull back the skin some she flipped out. He pulled back and gave me a helpless look.

"Tevan hun we need to get it out. We'll get you some ice cream after if you hold still and let daddy get the splinter." I told her softly as her grip on me tightened.

"Ok." She whispered as she held her hand out to Zacky again.

"Alright babe. I got it." Zacky said a minute later when he released Tevan's hand.

She pulled away from me and her eyes were still glossy with tears and her bottom lip was still quivering. "Thank you daddy." She told him as she held her arms out for him to take her.

"You're welcome babe. Now how about that ice cream?"

I watched as Zacky and Tevan retreated from the bathroom and toward the kitchen.

A grin appeared on my face as I thought about how Zack and I had grown in our relationship over the past year. I was surprised at how well things had gone. He and the guys had definitely calmed down a bit and really had given up the strip clubs all together by now. Zacky had fully quit smoking as had Brian and Johnny for the sake of Tevan and Val's pregnancy. It took them awhile but I can honestly say I think they were pretty happy about it as well. Johnny's big thing was that beer now tasted way better than it had before. That had given us all a good laugh.

I could honestly say I was completely happy in my marriage now. Zacky had really straightened up and realized that this was a team effort and couldn’t be one sided. We have had a few arguments in the past year but nothing too major that would cause lasting problems.

I really was in love and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

When I reached the kitchen it was to see Tevan with a big bowl of ice cream in her hands. I laughed inwardly because the bowl had way more ice cream in it than she was capable of eating. Something told me Zacky was planning on finishing it off when she was done eating.

Right before I was about to step into the backyard the sound of the doorbell ringing stopped me in mid-step. I turned around and made my way to see who was standing outside.

Upon opening the front door I was practically tackled to the ground by McKenna whom I hadn't seen in quite some time. "Katie!" She squealed as she released me from her arms.

"Hey there hun." I laughed as she stepped aside and let me greet her parents who were laughing behind her.

"We brought dinner." Suzy told me as she motioned to a cooler on wheels that Papa Gates was hauling behind him. "Brian told us you guys were all just hanging out today so we stopped by the store and picked up some steaks and salads and figured we'd come bring it over so you didn’t have to worry about what to feed everyone."

This is why I loved Brian's parents. They really were like everyone's parents in the sense that they took care of each couple equally. I guess you could call them the band parents if you'd like.

"Thank you guys so much. I really appreciate it. Come on in. Zack and I just finished getting a splinter out of Tevan's hand." They followed me into the kitchen where we transferred the items from the cooler into the refrigerator.

"Poor squirt got her first splinter eh? Bet that wasn't fun." Papa Gates said to me as I placed the steaks on a cold shelf.

"It wasn't. But she got ice cream out of it so all is good in her eyes." They both laughed.

"She's a spoiled one." Suzy commented on the true statement.

"She is. But not only by us. She's got everyone wrapped around her little finger." I said as I shook my head. "Matt and Val's kid will be the same way."

"Ain't that the truth." Brian Sr said with a deep chuckle.

"Would either of you like a beer?" I asked only to receive a wave off from Suzy. Papa Gates nodded though so I retrieved one for him from the fridge.

The three of us made our way into the backyard where Tevan was sitting on Zack's lap still eating her ice cream which was now all over her face. McKenna had made Michelle scoot over so she could lounge beside her older brother instead.

"You know, there's just something about having the entire group together that just feels right." Jimmy said thoughtfully. Zacky arched an eyebrow at his friend.

"Jim, when are we ever not together?" He questioned. "We tour together, we're almost always at eachother's houses." He trailed off.

"Geez. I was just saying." Jimmy returned.

Everyone just chuckled. I took a seat beside Zacky and Tevan and watched with interest as Tevan slowly poked her finger into her bowl of ice cream before turning and dragging it along Zacky's left cheek. She let out a string of giggles as Zacky looked at her with a shocked face.

"Tevan." Zack groaned as he wiped the ice cream off of his face. She just looked at him innocently as she sucked on her finger that used to be covered in the ice cream.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Brian asked his parents casually as the conversation died down.

"We brought dinner. But it's up to you boys to barbecue it. These girls deserve a break." Suzy told them firmly.

"And what did you bring?"

"Steaks boys. Steaks." Papa Gates told them to a round of cheers. The men loved their steak and it was a well known fact around here.

"Fuck yeah."

Tevan's spoon stopped on its way to her mouth and her eyes narrowed at her uncle that had sworn.

"Uncle Brian." She said accusingly.

His eyes widened when he realized his mistake and he gave Tev a smile. "Sorry babe. It slipped."

"That's what everyone says." She mumbled under her breath. If there was one thing the guys couldn’t quite give up it was swearing. They tried, they really did and I had to give them credit for that. However, it was a hard habit to break and every now and then things would slip out around Tevan. She had figured out by now what were the bad words and also knew she would get in trouble for saying them.

There had really only been one episode where Tevan got into big trouble for saying a word and it was because she had called her Aunt Val a bitch repeatedly for fun. She had some idea what it meant but she sure learned quickly that it wasn't allowed to use after Zacky had promptly marched her into Matt and Val's house and put her in time out for a good solid ten minutes.

Speaking of ten minutes, roughly ten minutes later the guys were all huddled around the in-ground barbecue. They had just placed the steaks on and they were sizzling away.

Tevan had been passed from Zack's lap to mine so he could go manage the grill, after he had finished her ice cream for her of course.

I watched as the guys all laughed about something but their faces suddenly turned frantic.

Jimmy's face became red and he started jumping up and down as he held his hand. I knew what was coming and I pressed my hands over Tevan's ears. Her eyes got wide and her mouth turned into an 'o' shape like they normally did when her ears were covered.

"Fucking shit! Holy fucking shit that shit is fucking hot! Damn it! What the hell Johnny? That fucking burnt!" He hollered as he continued to wave his hand in the air dramatically.

"What happened?" Suzy asked the boys as she rolled her eyes.

"Johnny pressed my fucking hand into the grill!"

"Hey he said he wondered how hot it was." Johnny tried to defend himself poorly. I thought it was funny as did the guys. Jimmy however wasn't happy.

I uncovered Tevan's ears and she looked at me. "Did Uncle Jimmy get hurt?"

"He did baby." I told her as she curled into my chest.

"He always gets hurt. Him and Uncle Johnny." She yawned as she closed her eyes.

The steaks were done well after Tevan had fallen asleep on my chest. She looked too peaceful to wake so I told Zacky to go ahead and help everyone get the rest of the food out of the fridge and for them to go ahead and eat without me. Matt had helped Val make her way into the kitchen slowly but surely and I knew they would probably be the last ones back out since Val was now picky with her food as well. It made me chuckle sometimes.

My hands rubbed Tevan's back gently as her small heartbeat bumped against my own. Zacky poked his head back out of the door and grinned at me. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?"

"I'm sure. I'll get some later." I told him softly. He nodded but instead of stepping inside came back out and closed the door behind him. He sat on the edge of the reclining lounge chair that we were in and he placed his hand on top of mine.

He leant down and pressed his pierced lips softly against my own. "I love you guys."

"Well we love you too Mr. Rockstar." He grinned as I brought my hand up to his head and brought his lips back down to mine once more.

"Hey no fucking in the chair." Brian teased as he stepped out.

Zack's lips just stayed pressed against mine but I was pretty sure he had given his friend the middle finger.

"You're just jealous." Zacky teased as he pulled away.

"Maybe." Brian winked playfully causing me to laugh lightly in an effort to not wake our daughter from her peaceful slumber.

Zacky gave me a final kiss before he ran a hand through my hair and stood up.

"I'll be right back." He told me as he went to get his food.

"You two are something else." Brian told me as he sat opposite me on the deck. "I'm glad you came along Katie."

"Me too Brian. I'm glad I found a place to belong."

He grinned at me but our conversation was cut short by everyone else re-joining us with the exception of Zack. He followed Matt and Val through the door and came to sit beside me once more, this time with a plate of food.

Zack picked up a grape and popped it into my mouth playfully. "I could get used to this." I told him with a smirk.

"Hmm. How about other things in your mouth?" He questioned with a sly grin.

"Zack." I scolded him as my face blushed.

"Just asking."

"Well don't ask again." He laughed.

"How about tonight? Can I ask tonight?"

"No."

"What if I pass Tevan onto Brian?"

"Zacky."

"Oh come on. We haven't fucked in a week." He whined into my ear.

"That's what happens when you have kids you dork."

"Katie." He continued to whine.

The poor man was begging. He was definitely desperate and who was I to deny my husband some love?"

"We'll see."

"Damn right we'll see. The only thing you'll be seeing are stars baby." He paused for a second and when he noticed everyone else was busy laughing at something Johnny had said he leaned even closer so his lips were touching my ear.

"You'll be seeing stars as I fuck you all night long."

I could feel my face flush. Even after all this time being married Zacky was still capable of making me blush by talking dirty. And to be honest, I really didn’t mind it.

It was one of Zacky's traits and it was one of the ones I wouldn’t get rid of, ever. I loved it too much just like I loved him too much.