Christmas Time

My eyes wandered over the red, green and silver decorations that littered the floor of my living room, just begging to be put up.
I picked up a few pieces of tinsel and sighed before putting it on the tree.

My mind wandered back to when he was here; every Christmas we would decorate the tree, just him and I. It was our very own tradition, and no-one else was allowed to help.

His strong arms would always lift me up onto his shoulders, and I would place the star on the very top of the tree, while singing twinkle, twinkle little star.
His eyes would sparkle and his lips would curl into a smile as he put me down and gazed at the finished Christmas tree.
'Well done, Darling." He would whisper, pulling me into a hug.

I wished he was here, doing the tree without him just seemed so... wrong.

A few days ago, I had even gone to the mall and sat on Santa's knee, and asked him to bring my Zacky back.
Pathetic,
I know.
But, that's how much I miss him.

It's been three whole years since he left with his band for tour.
He promised he would call everyday, and at first he kept that promise.
But as the days flew past, his phone calls died down to one a week, then one a month, then he stopped altogether.
I had spoken to the other guys once or twice since he stopped calling, but Zacky was always too busy to talk.
The guys had told me they were now in a studio that was about an hours drive from here making their 3rd album.
I was so happy for them. Their dreams had finally come true for them.
I just wish I had the same luck.

A knock sounded on the door and I ran over to it, before I opened it and hugged the person standing outside.

"Leana!" I screamed, pulling the taller girl inside and watching her shake her long brown hair to get some snow out. She pulled off her black coat and hung it up on the rack beside her.

"Hey Raych!" She smiled, sitting down on the sofa and looking at the tree sadly.

"It's so hard to do it without him, you know?" I sighed, sitting next to her. "I've even considered just not bothering with getting a tree. I can't bring my self to completely decorate it."

"I know, Sweetie. It'll get better, I promise. Everything will work out in someway or another." She smiled a knowing smile.

I shrugged and stood up, "Want a hot chocolate like old times?"

"You have to ask?" She gasped, putting her hand to her heart playfully.

"Yup." I nodded and chuckled before another knock sounded on the door.

I pulled open the wooden door to reveal a snow covered Val and Michelle.

"VALARYYYYYYYYYYYY!" I screamed and pulled the petite blonde girl into my arms before pushing her inside and grabbing Michelle in my arms. "SHELLYYYYY!"

"What about me?" A small voice asked from behind Michelle.

"KALLIE!" I screamed happily and hugged her before shutting the door behind us.

Finally all us girls were together for Christmas.
It's been a routine for us the last three years; the Deathbat girls always got together for Christmas.
Now, all we needed was a Christmas miracle that leads to the guys being here too. Don't get me wrong, the girls still saw the guys every now and then.... but for the last year or so, they haven't seen them at all.

We sat in front of the fireplace sipping on hot chocolates and watching The Nightmare before Christmas on TV.

My thoughts however, weren't on the movie, they were on Zacky and the guys; wondering how they were doing and if Zacky even remembered me.

I sighed and closed my bright green eyes on the world and remembered back to four years ago, the last Christmas that Zacky was here.

*Flashback*

"RAYCHHHH!" Zacky screamed through the house after barging through the door.

"Kitchen!" I replied, and waited for him to pop his head around the corner.

"Hey Rachie." He grinned and pulled me into a hug. "Merry Christmas, love." He handed me a present wrapped in purple wrapping paper.

I smiled and ripped it open, revealing a small velvet box.
I looked up at him in confusion and he smiled.

"Open it."

I lifted the top of the box and gasped at what was inside.
The silver necklace chain with a purple pendant surrounded by diamonds was absolutely beautiful.

"Wow, Zacky, It's beautiful." I breathed out, and he smiled and took the necklace from my fingertips. He lifted up my hair at the back and clasped the necklace around my neck before facing me again with a smile.

"There's something written on the back of the pendant." He winked.

My hands instantly went to the pendant and I turned it over, and read

'To my RachieFace, Love Zackster.
Always and forever.'

My eyes began to water as I pulled Zacky into a hug and kissed his cheek. "Time for your present." I smiled and ran into the living room where the undecorated tree stood tall. I bent down and picked up a medium sized box with tiny holes in the top.
I handed the box to him and he gasped and let out a girly scream when it moved.

"It's alive!" He yelled almost dropping the present.

"Zacky, just open it damn you." I rolled my eyes as he almost had a heart attack because his present is alive.

He took the lid off the box and peered inside screaming happily when he realised why the box moved.
He took the tiny animal out of the box and smiled.

"You got me a puppy?" He questioned, shocked and started poking at the purple bow around the puppy's neck.

"Yup, you've been saying you wanted one, so I got you one." I smiled, and took the puppy off him for a hug. "What are you gonna name it?"

"Uh, Ichabod Crane Vengeance." He said, a stupid grin spreading across his face. He paused for a second before pulling me into a hug and whispering in my ear "Thank you my love."

"Anything for you Zacky." I grinned before turning to the tree, "How about you and I decorate this tree?"

*end flashback*

We had so much fun decorating the tree, and Ichabod kept attacking the decorations.
I was blissfully unaware of the news that Zacky was going to tell me later that night.

*Flashback*

"I have something to tell you." Zacky said nervously.

"Okay..." I trailed off and sat next to him on the sofa.

"Uh, well Avenged got signed, two days ago." He smiled.

"That's awesome, Zacky! Congrats!" I grinned and pulled him into a hug and pecked his lips.

"Yeah, but there's one other thing." He sighed sadly and I looked at him in confusion. "We're leaving for tour tomorrow."

*End flashback*

He then made the promise he would call every single day, which he broke within 2 months of the 6 month long tour.

I was suddenly snapped back into the real world by the girls laughing at something.
I looked to the floor to see Kallie laying there shaking with laughter.

"What happened?" I asked, frowning.

"Kallie fell off her chair and screamed really weirdly." Val chuckled.

I shook my head and sighed.
Christmas was never going to be fun until I had my Zacky back here with me.