Through the Lens

"Wake up, my love."

The voice was quiet, oh so very quiet. The man didn't want to wake anyone in the tour bus except for his beautiful slumbering girlfriend. She lay beside him on her stomach, her arms snuggled underneath her and her shoulders bare apart from the skinny straps of the tank top she had fallen asleep in.

Alex Gaskarth brought his hand up from where it rested on her waist to run back and forth over her upper back and shoulders, pushing her long brunette hair out of the way.

"Wake up." He whispered, leaning down to press his lips to her shoulder, kissing the smooth skin over and over again. He was getting no response from her as he moved his lips up, towards her neck. Finally when he was heatedly kissing her neck, in the spot he knew she absolutely loved and went weak kneed when kissed there, she rolled a little onto her side, giving him more room.

"Alex." She breathed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer. He moved his hands back to her waist, making their hips crash together and a small moan escape from the girls lips. When he was satisfied with the mark that was left on her neck he continued his lips upward, onto her jaw, up her cheek and then finally to her lips, which were eagerly awaiting his touch.

They didn't kiss for long before she pulled away from him, pulling back to stare into his brown eyes.

"Why did you wake me up?" She questioned him tiredly, snuggling in close to him, making him smile.

"We're on our way back to Baltimore." He said, making her raise an eyebrow at him.

"And?" She questioned, making him chuckle a little.

"Today is the day that you move in with me." Now she broke into a wide smile.

"Oh yeah." He smiled a little wider and nodded, leaning over to peck her lips.

"You excited?" He questioned, making her nod happily. "Have you told Sam yet?" Before she could answer, the curtain of their bunk was ripped open, revealing none other than the previously mentioned best friend, who had tears running down her cheeks.

"Whoa, Sammi, what's the matter?" Scarlet questioned, sitting up and crawling over her boyfriend to get out of the bunk, putting a hand on her best friends arm. Scarlet wondered if Sam had listened in and heard that she was moving out, but Sam shouldn't be that upset about it.

"Jake.." Sam sobbed out. "He... h-he.." Sam threw herself at Scarlet, collapsing in her arms.

"What about Jake, sweetheart? What's happened?" Scarlet was starting to hear grumbles from the rest of the band members as they awoke from Sam's crying and Scarlet's questions. "Come out to the front lounge with me, okay? We can talk in there, yeah?" Sam did nothing but nod as Scarlet gave Alex a look and shrugged before guiding her distressed best friend out of the lounge area, shutting the door after them and led her to the couch. "So what happened with Jake?"

Scarlet reached for a napkin on the counter and handed it to her, allowing her to wipe some of the tears from her face.

"His mom just called me." Scarlet frowned. She was figuring that Jake had broken up with her or something but his mom wouldn't call Sam to tell her that. Something bad must have happened to him then. The thought made Scarlet's blood run cold. Jake was one of her closest friends, as well as Max's. Nothing could have happened to him, it would destroy them all.

"What did she have to say, Sam?" Scarlet questioned her best friend.

"He .... he was in a car accident." Sam sobbed out, wiping at her tears again while Scarlet felt tears of her own well up in her eyes. Please, dear God, do not let him be dead. Scarlet prayed. "He's dead, Scarlet."

"What? No.... He... he can't be." Tears began to roll down Scarlet's cheeks as she shook her head, not wanting to believe it. "It can't be true." Scarlet's voice broke as a sob made its way up her throat.

"It is, Scar, it is." The best friends collapsed into each other's arms, sobbing and crying. They sat like this for a few minutes before the bunk area door opened and out walked Alex and Zack, both of them frowning at the crying friends.

"Scar, baby, is everything okay?" Alex questioned, coming to sit behind his girlfriend who let go of her best friend and fell into Alex's arms. Zack went over to Sam and pulled her into his own arms.

"Jake, Sam's boyfriend is dead." Scarlet explained through her tears. Both men gasped and held the women closer. Alex kissed Scarlet's forehead, letting her nuzzle her face into his neck, not caring that she was crying all over him, he just held her tightly.

After the men consoled the women for some time, the girls disappeared into the small bathroom to wash their faces and get dressed as they would be arriving in Baltimore in about an hour.

The rest of the bus soon was awake and moving but the girls, as well as the two guys, kept the death a secret.

"Do you think Max knows?" Scarlet asked Sam as the two of them packed up their suitcases, Scarlet also packing up Alex's as he was in the front playing video games with the guys, having one last guy moment with the crew before the tour was over.

"I don't know. He might already, I'm sure someone called and told him." Sam explained, making Scarlet nod before reaching for her phone and dialing his number.

"Scarlet." Max answered, sadness riddled in his voice.

"Did you hear about Jake?" Scarlet questioned, wiping at the one tear that fell down her cheek.

"Yeah, his mom called me and told me. How's Sam?" He asked.

"She's holding up alright. How are you doing?" Scarlet asked as she zipped up her suitcase and put the last few things in Alex's, zipping it up as well. She sat in the now empty bunk, leaning up against the back wall.

"I'm okay. When we get to Baltimore, do you and Sam want to come over to Jake's mom's with me? She asked me to come over when I got in."

"Yeah, of course I will and I'm sure she will too." Scarlet answered, watching Sam move around her bunk quietly, keeping her head down.

"Great. Alex can come too. I have to go now, gotta finish packing and all that. I'll see you soon, Scare-bear." With that Max hung up, making Scarlet hang up and pocket her phone.

"Max wants me and you, and Alex to go to Jake's mom after we get home." Scarlet told Sam, making her nod but not look up. Scarlet stood up from the bunk and hugged her best friend from behind. "Everything will be okay, I promise." She whispered, kissing her friends head before leaving the bunk room. She went out to the front lounge to see the guys just sitting around talking. She tucked herself on the couch in between Alex and Matt, cuddling into Alex's side.

"Everything okay?" He questioned her, making her nod.

"Me, you, Sam, and Max are going to go to Jake's mom's house when we get back, is that okay? You don't have to go if you don't want to." Scarlet said, looking up at Alex.

"I do want to go, I want to be there for you." Scarlet smiled softly and kissed his lips gently.

"Thank you." She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"So I guess you are going to want to wait to move in with me now, huh? Won't want to leave Sam alone now." Alex asked her, making her sigh and lift her head again, shrugging.

"I don't know. I'll talk to her about it later, when she's not so fragile. Most likely though, I will stay with her for just a little bit." Scarlet explained, making Alex nod.

"I understand that completely. You can move in whenever you want to, I know Sam needs you and you need her." Scarlet smiled again softly.

"You are the best boyfriend in the world." She said, making him roll his eyes but lean over to kiss her anyway.

She was glad she had him, if she didn't, she wasn't sure how she would be able to get through any of this.