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

Yes, there was something definatly wrong with her. It had to be a female trait. In the past fifteen minutes, she'd changed her outfit three times, and she still wasn't satisfied.

It's nothing major.

Sighing in frustration she headed back to her closet. When she came back out she had a pair of distressed jeans and a studded belt. And for the fear of looking like a groupie, she opted out of the whole band T-Shirt idea and finally settled on a black silk halter top which coincidently would show off the angel wings tattooed on her back.

She threw it all onto her bed, stripped down, and got dressed for the fourth time. Afterwards she admired herlsef in the mirror. Turning to the side she smoothed her hands down the silky fabric covering her stomach. Alright, this looked good enough. Now for shoes. She headed back into her walk in closet to check out her shoe collection. Also a fetish she was sure nearly every girl possessed. She wasn't sure what it was, but if she spotted a cute pair of shoes, she had to have them, reguardless of whether or not she was ever going to wear them.

She decided on a pair of three inch black stilletos and then it was off to the washroom for the dreaded 'make-up and hair business'.

Not really in the mood for anything funky, she simply straightened her shoulder length hair then applied just enough make-up so that it was noticeable. Her phone ringing caught her attention as she snapped the lid to her lip gloss on before hurrying into her room and answering it. James and the guys were outside waiting.

Leaving her phone on the bed, she tucked her ID and credit card into her back pocket, then turned to her dresser for a pair of earrings and necklace to finish off the whole ensamble. Then it was out to the taxi before they decided to leave without her.

***

The pounding music just added to the whole party vibe. The house was packed, and there were few people there who weren't involved in the music business in some form or another. Connections truly were a beautiful thing. Matt had come through and not only were Avenged Sevenfold in attendance, but he was able to get a hold of the boys of The Confession, along with Bleeding Through and Atreyu. Syn had invited Eighteen Visions, and the whole group had urged the Good Charlotte family into attendance.

Zacky shifted his legs underneath Gena and she adjusted herslef on his lap. They were watching intently as Matt and Syn bumbled around, wavering back and forth, fighting playfully waiting as a few other guys set up the keg. Matt passed Syn his beer before taking off his shirt causing the girls that were around him watching to cheer. A few even went so far as to reach out and brush their fingertips over his warm, tattooed skin.

Matt grinned, totally digging the attention. Although it probably would have been less amusing if he had less alcohol in his system. Right now he was surprised he could even function. But hell, he was still walking, which meant, he was still very capable of drinking.

He placed his hands on the top of the keg to brace himself. A few of the guys standing around picked up his legs to hold him up vertically while Syn handled the tap for him, helping him out by placing it close to his mouth.

Michelle stood by, holding on to his shirt and laughing as Matt attempted to drink the beer as quickly as it came out of the spout.

Rev crouched down beside Matt's head for encouragment. "Swallow, swallow, swallow."

Leana was behind him drinking her Strawberry Kiwi juice, "come on baby," she urged Matt on.

Matt finally had all he could take and he shook his head. Syn removed the tap and the guys set him down.

Beer trickled down Matt's chest as Michelle handed him back his shirt, he took it and put it on despite being wet.

"Ahhhh fuck yeah," Johnny grinned and handed him a new bottle of beer, Syn had decided to drink Matt's old one.

Syn's step brother, Johnny Gera, wrapped his arms around Matt's neck from behind, "shit buddy, you deserve this."

Matt took the beer he was also offering, "thanks," he muttered.

"Now," Danny grabbed him by the forearm, "these ladies want to meet you over here," he pulled Matt, Johnny G. and Syn towards the living room. Matt would have refused, but afterall, he was a guy, and right now, part of him was thinking it required some attention.

The minute Austin climbed out of the taxi, and her shoes were planted on the cement sidewalk, she regretted ever getting out. This was going to be bad, as right at the moment, she was standing in front of the Sander's household.

James climbed out of the taxi behind her and grabbed her hand, "what's wrong?"

It was odd that he was being so friendly, but she was going to equate it to what the guys had been drinking before they'd come to get her. She looked from the Sander's house, to the neighbors house emitting the loud music. In this neighborhood she was surprised the cops hadn't shown up yet.

"Nothing," she squeezed his hand gently and he began pulling her towards the house and up the steps. "If you don't mind me asking, who invited us?"

James smiled and rang the doorbell. "Brian Haner," he opened the door up and people moved out of the way to let them in, "but you might know him better as Synyster Gates."

Well this situation was becoming more fantastic by the minute.

Her heart started beating faster and her pulse raced. Part of her wanted to rush passed James to see if he was indeed somewhere inside. The other part of her wanted to turn around and run. The story of her and Matt was a long one, and she had a feeling it was about to become a very small world once again. Yet still she followed close behind James through the crowd of people into what she guessed was the central spot in the house. He was immediately subjected to a brotherly punch in the arm and a beer thrust into his hand. A friend obviously.

"Whoa, who's the hottie, James?"

Austin rolled her eyes at this drunken mess. She hated how guys always talked like you weren't standing right there in front of them. Oh well, she wasn't really listening anyway. She vaugely heard her name as James introduced her to everyone. Her eyes were to busy scanning the crowd. It wasn't long before she spotted Syn and the Rev, and Michelle and Leana weren't too far away. And she was actually only an arms length away from Johnny Christ. She slowly turned sideways so he wouldn't have the chance to recognize her.

She wasn't entirely sure why she felt the need to be so sneaky. After what happened she should really be barging into the house and demanding Johnny tell her where Matt is so she could chew him a new ass. But as it turned out, Johnny's help wouldn't be required. Her eyes locked on Matt as he pushed through the crowd to Zacky and some girl. Her breath caught in her throat and for a moment, she wanted to run, not to him, but outside. Yet she couldn't pull her eyes off of him let alone force her legs to move in the opposite direction.

After the ordeal, she'd made it a point to never look at pictures, listen to their music, read magazine articles, or watch interviews on the band. It was like if she didn't see or hear him, then it would be like he wasn't off making a new life; a wonderful life for himself. She just wanted to erase him from her memory.

"Hey, James, over here!"

Before she could respond, James was pulling her in the opposite direction as Matt, which was to some point a relief, but to her horror, they were closing in on Syn. Everything was happening so fast she could barely breathe.

She tried to keep her back to Brian and her and James' linked hands hidden.

"Hey man you remember Danny, and my bro Johnny," Syn smiled.

"Oh hell yeah," James shook their hands with his free hand then stood up straight and proud, "Guys this is Austin, she's an advertising executive."

Oh hell.

It was over, no turning back now. James tugged on her hand forcing her to turn around. Unable to avoide the inevitable any longer she lifted her head slowly and her green eyes locked on Syn's brown ones. For a fleeting moment she thought maybe he didn't recognize her. But as it turned out, she didn't have that kind of luck.

He suddenly looked surprised. "Barker is that you?"

She smiled the best she could, "hi, Brian."

James obviously wasn't comprehending. "Wait, you two know each other?"

"Jesus, it's been what, like four, five years?"

"I'm surprised you remember."

Syn made a sour face, then smirked. "Oh-ho, still bitter I see."

"You know what, Syn? Fuck you. " She pulled her hand from James' grip, "I'm sorry, but I've got to go."

She started for the door. She would have ran if she'd been able to, but the crowd of people was too thick. She was so intent on getting to the door that she didn't even notice that she'd bumped directly into Matt. By the time she reached her destination she knew she was being followed. She wasn't sure by who, she could just feel it.

She made it down the steps and began cursing herself out for not bringing her cell. She moved across the lawn on her tip toes until she hit the sidewalk. She knew that there was a gas station a couple blocks away with a pay phone. But you need change for that genious. She couldn't believe it.

"Fuck."

Upset with herself and unable to think she crouched down beside a car parked along the curb just for a moment to think.

"Austin!"

Well her intuition about being followed wasn't too far off. She looked up to see James coming down the steps two at a time and across the lawn towards her.

"Austin, you alright?"

She looked up at him and nodded, but remained crouched, "yeah, I'm fine."

He gestured back towards the house, "what the hell was that all about?"

She sighed, "it's a long story."

"Austin!"

God, at this rate everyone at the damn party was going to know her name, and all before midnight.

"Austin!"

The voice became more clear. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She knew that voice. At one time in her life it had been a voice of comfort.

James looked up and Austin followed his gaze, and that was a mistake. She never imagined when she left her house that night that by eleven pm, she'd be staring up at M. Shadows. Her life was about to change.