Forever and Always

"Come here, baby." Matt held his arms out to me and smiled a bit. I wiped my eyes and stepped into the circle of his arms. His lips pecked my forehead, "It'll be okay. I'll be back before you know it.'

I threaded my fingers into the short tufts of hair on his head, "I hate the whole touring thing. This is the third time in the past year you've left for weeks at a time."

"But you love being engaged to a rock star." He teased, poking me in the sides, "Come on, Dani, don't be sad. The baby needs a happy mommy."

I smiled at the reference to the baby, who in fact wasn't a baby anymore. MC was almost four years old and looked like a miniature of his father from his little aviators to his pout that showed off twin dimples. "At least I have a bit of you while you're gone."

Immediately, his eyes turned sad, "Dani . . ."

I kissed him lightly, "Shh. I'm just gonna miss you is all."

"I'm gonna miss you too. Next time, you're going with us, you, MC, and the rest of the girls, I promise." He put his forehead to mine and we kissed again.

"I'm going to get MC up from his nap so he can tell you bye." I mumbled against his lips and pulled back from him. As I turned to go into the hall of our apartment, I wiped at the tears at my face. Matt was always leaving and he couldn't help it. He was M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold and he had a duty to the music, the band, his fans. He always felt bad enough leaving because he thought he had more of a duty to me and MC.

I didnt get all the way into MC's room before arms twined around me. He kissed my neck, "I love you. Fuck the record label. Follow us out."

"I can't do that with a four year old, Matt. Do you know how horrible it would be for him, stuck in a car all day everyday for weeks?" I turned in his arms.

He sighed, "So he can stay on the bus for a few days and then with you in the car for a few. We can take good care of him even out there."

I bit my lip and nodded, "Let's do it."

"So . . . there's no reason to wake him up just yet." He pulled me back to our bedroom, kissing against my skin as we went.

I laughed and brought our lips back together. He was too obvious sometimes.

Three hours later, he listened to MC rambling as we loaded Matt's bags onto the bus. Laura, Maria, Lorrie, Victoria, Johnny, Jimmy, Zacky and Syn were all outside of our house which was suppose to be the last stop on the way out for the tour and all the girls would spend the night here before I drove them home in the morning. They had no clue that plans were changing.

"You got that, bud?" Matt asked, smiling down at MC who was carrying what amounted to a waist pouch in one hand. It held Matt's grillz and his fangs along with the stuff to make sure that the fangs stayed on but that was it.

"Uh huh. Daddy, Uncle Zacky looks funny." MC pointed with his free hand. Zacky's nose was all scrunched up as he talked down to Lorrie, laughing a little.

Matt smirked, "That's cause Uncle Zacky's a goofy person."

"Matt." I shook my head, putting the duffel bag I had in my hand on the bunk I knew was Matt's, bottom left as soon as you came in the bunk area.

"What? He is!" Matt laughed and placed the three suitcases he had there as well. He motioned for MC to throw his little bag there before scooping him up, "Are you all ready?"

"For what?" MC asked, clutching to Matt's neck. I personally felt he was too big to carry around but Matt loved to smother the kid in attention whenever he could so I never protested to him doing so.

"To go with us." Matt smiled over our son's head at me.

"Yes, yes, yes!" MC squealed and he kicked to get down. Matt patted his leg hard and let out a growl. MC immediately went still.

"Don't kick Daddy there." Matt had gone paler than I'd ever seen him and MC was slowly sliding down out of his grip.

It dawned on me then what he'd done and I tried not to giggle as I grabbed MC to put him on the ground. He looked up at Matt with wide eyes, "I'm sor-ry, Daddy."

Matt tried hard not to growl, it was obvious from the way he blew his breath out harshly before ruffling MC's hair, "Go on, son."

"Uncle Synnie! Synnie! Guess what?" MC ran away.

I went over and hugged Matt from behind, "Is it okay?"

"I'm just glad you said no to the boots." He huffed, rubbing my hands.

After a second he pulled on one to pull me around face-to-face with him, "Baby."

I stroked the side of his face, "Yeah?"

"I'd really not like to sleep alone the first night of tour. What do you say you ride with us until the first stop and then get a rental from there?"

I snuggled my face into his chest, "Why don't MC and I just ride with you guys?"

"Cause the label will have his head if he even suggests it again." Johnny piped up, "Just like they'll have all our heads if we don't get moving soon."

Matt sighed, "Alright fine. I'll go help you wrestle MC into the car and then we'll get going okay?"

I nodded and we both went out to find Brian and Laura chasing MC around the yard. Mc ran into Laura's legs and wrapped his arms around them, "Laura! Uncle Synnie's gonna get me."

"No he's not! I'll protect you." Laura laughed.

"Don't listen to her, bud, she can't protect you cause I'm gonna get her." Brian laughed before grabbing Laura around the waist from behind.

I took the opportunity to pull MC away, "Time to get in the car, little man."

"Kay. Bye!" He waved at everyone as I carried him toward our Escalade. From big old cars to big family SUV type things, Matt didn't do anything small.

"Where do you think you're going?" Maria smirked at me.

"With us." Zacky grinned, "So that Matt doesn't go nuts and try to kill us all like he did last time."

"I didn't try to kill anyone." Matt said sullenly before smiling brightly in a way that showed he was lying through his teeth.

I laughed and ran over to hug all the girls, "I'm sorry. We should have told you before but we only just decided a few hours ago."

"It's cool. We completely understand. You do have a wedding to plan after all." Laura stuck her tongue out at me, despite the fact that she firmly believed marriage was a mistake.

I smiled and nodded, "I'm gonna miss you all."

"Not if you don't get going." Victoria huffed, motioning toward where all the guys were piling onto the bus.

I made an eeping sound and sliding into the car. As I pulled out with the bus ahead of me, Matt sitting at the back window with a grin, I had to wonder what this summer had in store for our makeshift family.