In My Dreams It's Me And You

Nat's POV

The next morning I woke up to a loud banging noise coming from outside, jolting me from the dream I was enjoying to the hard floor underneath me that I didn't. I guessed that Brian must have put the blanket on me at some point last night which I was severely grateful in order to curl around myself, hiding the fact I was still in my cut off jacket and black lace underwear from my performance.

When the banging didn't stop I finally gave in and shuffled to the front door, opening it to just see Zacky streak past me and up the stairs, presumably I'm guessing to the toilet.

“Did Vengeance just run past, or am I seeing random guys clutching their balls and running
up the stairs in my house?”

I turned to see Brian standing in the hallway with a mixing bowl in his arms. Whatever it was he was making was also on his nose and hair, which despite the fact he was a good cook, just resulted in a mess of everything, including himself.

“I think so, otherwise I think we'll need to arm ourselves with more than a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon,” I chuckled, wiping his nose with an edge of the blanket before dipping my finger into the bowl and sampling the treat. “What are you making?”

“Your favourite pancakes made by yours truly,” he replied with a grin, moving past me to close the front door but making sure it was still able to be opened from the other side, just in case any of the others decided to turn up.

“Did I hear pancakes?” Zacky copied what I did and stuck his finger in the bowl, adding, “They taste good. I'm starved.”

Brian scowled and snatched the bowl away, cradling it protectively as he shot his friend a glare. “You better have washed your hands Baker.”

Zacky played mock-offence. “I'm hurt.”

“I don't want your dirty hands in my pancakes! I'd rather not taste Pancakes A La Zack thank you very much, although I'm sure Chloe would love that touch.”

This time the offence was real. “That's going too far Syn.”

“Sorry mate,” Brian apologised, offering him another sample of the pancake mix as a peace offering. “Didn't mean it.”

Not particularly wanting to see my tastes in pancakes come up next in conversation I changed the subject, turning to Zacky and asking, “Where is Chloe anyway?”

He sighed, replying, “She refuses to wake up until a coffee is present in her hands. One of the reasons I'm here actually.”

“A coffee doesn't actually sound too bad right now,” I agreed, but neither Zacky or I got the change to make any as eight steaming mugs were already awaiting us in the kitchen. I gratefully grabbed the one nearest to me and blew lightly on the steam before taking a few sips, sighing from the relief it gave me. There were even a stack of waffles on the side which were quickly depleted between the three of us.

“The perfect man can both cook and make good coffee,” I stated, a playful grin shining at Brian. “Although usually he doesn't leave his friends in the back of a car all night, and certainly doesn't leave the door locked.”

He glanced over at Zacky before shrugging. “Don't fancy meeting with a burglar and I already had to touch his ass once that night, and that was already over my limit.”

Zacky grinned. “You loved it.”

Brian glared at me as I laughed, but he had no time to say anything as I thrust mugs into both his and Zacky's hands before ushering them outside to pass them onto the hangover
passengers of the outside world.

–

The door was already slid open as we made our way over, exposing the suffering bodies inside. Matt at first appeared to be fine, but on closer look he was in fact just like the rest of them. Then again, spending the night in the back of a car would make you look rough whether you were drinking or not.

“So that's five hangovers I'm counting.”

“Make that six,” a voice said from behind me, Zacky stealing a sip of Chloe's coffee since he didn't bring his own from the house and sitting in the car, his back leaning against the open door. “I didn't think I was going to be lucky.”

As I was chuckling to myself I felt something slip underneath the blanket and around my bare waist, looking behind me to see a grin on Brian's face as his hand travelled higher. None of this could be seen by the others however, except we did get a few weird looks from the few that were awake when I started laughing for no reason because he was tickling my stomach.

After pulling away and giving him a playful slap as punishment I looked into the back and saw Johnny still slumped against Val, the lipstick from Sarah's farewell kiss having smeared across his cheek over night and onto Val's shoulder. Seeing this caused me to check up on Jimmy who at some point had moved to lay across both the passenger and driver's seat, obviously not caring for the hand brake that was digging into him.

Once everyone had a coffee in their hands they all seemed to perk up a little, but it was definitely no cure for the punishment they all received for last night's drinking.

–

Soon it was time for Chloe and I to leave, and since it was the last day the band was around before they went off to some ranch in the middle of no where to record Zacky was on the receiving end of one of Chloe's bear hugs, this time however ten times worse as his leaving suddenly dawned on her.

“You'll ring me everyday, won't you?” Chloe asked tearfully, burying her face into his chest.

“Chloe, if you hug him any harder he won't be able to anyway,” I commented, laughing along with the others as he gasped for air as she reluctantly released him. “Come on, we better head home.”

In a matter of seconds Zacky was in the hug again, but this time she had held back on how much 'bear' she put into the bear hug. I left them to their moment and walked out of the room we had all moved to after the coffees were finished in the back of the car, rummaging through the bag I had dumped last night in the hall and pulling out my car keys and shoving them in my pocket. I frowned as I realised that my house keys were no where to be found, along with the gate control remote.

“Aren't you going to ask me if I'm going to call?”

I stopped searching for a few moments to look at Brian, a curious look on his face. This soon changed to disappointment as I shook my head, turning my attention back to my bag as I replied, “If I do that, I'll just think that you are not going to come back.” After confirming that my keys were no where in sight I sighed and called back to Chloe, “Clo, do you have your house keys with you? Mine must still be at the Club.”

A muffled 'yeah' replied, and just as I was turning to walk back into the room Brian caught me on the arm, pulling me into his and wrapping them around me. He played with the ends of my hair as he spoke, sounding sad as he murmured, “Why can't you come with me?”

I pulled away slightly to look up at him, but didn't break his embrace. “For the same reason that Val can't, and Chloe can't. You all made the decision to record away so you don't get distracted, and that includes girlfriends.”

“I won't get distracted,” he promised, the sincerity in his eyes making my heart want to break.

“I can't, I'm sorry Brian.”

I moved to walk away but his grip tightened. “Wait.”

He reached up to his neck to where the thick silver chain that was as much a part of his body just like his tattoos were, only to remove it and slip it around my neck instead, fastening the clip to keep it there.

My hand slowly brushed against a few of the links, feeling my eyes water as the feeling of him leaving grew, even though I tried so hard to ignore it. “Brian...I-I can't...”

“Look, I'll come back for this,” Brain said softly, curling his fingers around mine upon the chain. With his other hand he wiped away the tear that slid down my cheek, looking down at me with a hopeful smile. “So can I get my goodbye now?”

I couldn't help but smile and threw my arms around his neck, never wanting to have to let go, even though I knew I eventually would have to. “I love you.”

His hand rubbed my back in a calming motion, his head resting against mine. “I love you too.”

It was another's voice that finally broke us apart, causing both of us to look and see the grinning faces of everyone else. It was Val that spoke, her eyes drifting from her fiancé to us.

“I don't think it will be long until we won't be the only engaged couple any longer.”