Status: Complete

Every Time You Fall Apart You Can Hide Here In My Arms

Epilogue

Like most happy couples, Austin wanted to be able to say the days passed by with ease. But that just wasn't true. Nothing went by with ease. Each day was a constant challenge. They had to work at what they had. And in the year and a half they'd now been working on it, it was paying off.

Austin glanced around the backyard of Suzi and Papa G's. It was barbecue night again. It'd become a tradition. Once a month. Everyone showed up. The band. Their significant others. Their parents. The Berry's. Val and Mattie. It often turned into one great big family fun night.

The smell of cooking burgers wafted through the air as Austin stood underneath the patio umbrella, watching Johnny and Rev jam out a tune. Rev was tapping his drum sticks against one of the plastic tables set out in the yard. Papa G sat with them, strumming his acoustic guitar.

"Mattie be careful," Val called out to her daughter, as six year old Mattie ran across the deck and jumped down the stairs, nearly falling to the ground.

Austin glanced down at Val. She was glad they were now on the same page. Granted they'd never be back to the way they use to be, but there was hope for a new kind of friendship.

"Careful babe," Leana ruffled Mattie's hair playfully.

Austin smiled as Leana stood up and rubbed her stomach lightly. It'd taken a while, but both she and Rev eventually healed. Well as far as healing went in that type of situation. Now, they were expecting another baby. The doctor assured them, that what happened was a one time occurance. But to keep them both happy, Leana was under strict instructions, and she was checked up on regularily.

"Austin look!" Mattie squealed and jumped around in place while pointing to the ground.

Austin stepped down off the deck and wandered over to Matt's daughter, "what'd you find sweetie?"

"It's another frog," Mattie crouched down, this time she tried to scoop up the tiny creature on her own. The frog hopped onto her palm and she stood up carefully, "dad!"

Matt was standing by the barbecue with his father and Syn. He glanced over and looked at his daughter, a smile errupting on his face, causing his dimples to appear, "what babe?" he asked before excusing himself, wandering over to what he often now referred to vocally as his girls.

"Look, it's a frog," Mattie held up her small hands for Matt to examine her catch.

"He's cute...more cute than you even," he grinned down at her.

Mattie's mouth fell open and Austin giggled.

"He is not," Mattie protested, her train of thought changing as the frog moved in her palms, "think I can keep him?"

Matt shook his head, "no babe, he wouldn't live very long if he had to live with us."

Mattie looked saddened. Austin slipped her hand into Matt's free hand. In his other hand was a beer. That was another aspect she was glad they had under control again. Avenged Sevenfold was scheduled to go on tour not long after Rev and Leana's loss but the boys had cancelled. Giving Rev time to grieve, and Matt time to get his life under control.

"Maybe we'll look at getting a frog from a pet store," Matt offered instead, "then you can keep it at mom's."

Mattie giggled, "I wanna show mom."

Matt nodded slightly, "let's go show mom."

Austin released his hand and watched them move towards Val who was still on the deck. After grossing Val out, they slowly made their way back to Austin.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Austin shook her head, "nothing," she smiled.

He saw right through it, "come here," he gestured towards himself even though he continued to walk towards her.

"What's wrong?" he asked again as he set his beer down before he guided her arms around his neck.

She looked down, "I wish I could get closer."

His eyes grazed down her body, her rounded stomach kept her from pressing as close to him as she wanted. He chuckled and it warmed her heart, "I like it. But I don't think that's what's wrong."

"I just...," she didn't know how to put it exactly, "don't get me wrong, I love where we are, I just...feel like there should be more."

A slow smile crawled across his lips causing those heart melting dimples to appear again, "is that your way of proposing Ms. Barker?"

She scowled at him, "Matt I'm being serious. Getting married won't fix everything."

He laughed and dropped down to one knee, causing her heart to skip a beat, before he lifted her shirt slightly and pressed his lips to her stomach, a touch that sent shock waves throughout her body.

"Did she kick?" Mattie yelped and moved towards her father and Austin.

Austin smiled. Mattie was quite keen on the idea of having a sister. She'd already decided that she was going to be the one to teach her everything.

"No babe, I was just saying hi," Matt smiled at his daughter.

"Can I say hi to?" she asked tentatively.

Austin couldn't help but laugh softly as both Matt and Mattie pressed their lips to her stomach again. A flutter in her stomach caused her to look down.

Matt beamed up at her, "she kicked."

Austin nodded as Matt rose to his feet again, and Mattie picked up the toy she'd abandoned. She fiddled with it for a moment before looking up at her father.

"When are we gonna eat?"

Matt chuckled and Austin rolled her shirt back down, she hated the fact that her shirts wanted to ride up all the time.

Matt pinched her nose gently, "go talk to uncle Brian."

Brian was now leaning forward in his lawn chair by Michelle, close enough to hear, "babe you hungry?" he asked Mattie as she hurried towards him.

Matt wrapped his arms around Austin's waist again, splaying his hands lightly over her lower back. He wanted to stroke more of her smooth skin but he couldn't right now, even though he knew she'd be in the mood. He was amazed that her pregnancy had made her nearly sex crazed. Not that he was complaining.

"What are you smirking about?" she asked him.

"Nothing," he smiled, knocking all ideas aside. He locked eyes with her. Wanting her to know he was being very serious when he said this, "Austin I know it's been hard for you to trust me, and I don't blame you. I've drug you around behind me rather than beside me for so long, and I'm so sorry for that. If I could take it all back all the times I hurt you I would. But I want you to know that I love you," his warm palm grazed her cheek, "I always have, and I always will," his hand slid through her hair around to the back of her skull, pulling her face closer to his, "and I want to marry you when you're ready,"

She wanted to blame it on the emotional state of her pregnancy but she couldn't. Her eyes started to water. He was always able to cover his ass by telling her what she needed to hear. It was both a blessing and a curse.

He noticed her trying to hold back her tears and he laughed softly as he pulled her into a tight hug, holding her lovingly against his body, "you can cry Austin," he whispered into her hair, before kissing her temple, "believe me when I say this, every time you fall apart, you can hide here in my arms."
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