Through the Lens

Waking up, morning after morning beside Alex had become a regular thing for Scarlet. It was as if they already lived together, but were just staying at her place rather than his.

The past few weeks had been hectic for the couple. They had had spent time together, but not really as much time as they'd like. Jake's funeral was now weeks ago, but every day without him seemed to drag on for the four people staying in the apartment. The four people being scarlet, alex, sam, and max who was sleeping on their couch.

Two days after the funeral Sam and scarlet spent two afternoons doing girl things, shopping and gossiping, getting their nails and hair done. They would then come home to Alex and Max waiting with dinner. After dinner they would watch a movie before moving to their respective sleeping places.

The more time Alex and Max spent with each other, after they put everything that happened with them behind them, they became pretty decent friends, finding that they had a lot in common and could sit around talking music for awhile.

After the girls days were over came the sadness. Sam contacted her family and they were welcoming her back home with open arms. She was to leave in two days. Max would be going with her as he had to meet the guys of escape the fate in Los Angeles to start a new tour.

The apartment was covered in boxes and tape. The walls and shelves were empty, their previous contents in boxes. Since scarlet was moving in with Alex she wasn't going to need that much furniture. She was taking the couch, Alex's would be moved into the basement where the band liked to practice. She was also taking her bedframe, Alex's was being packed away and put in the garage. She was also taking little things she didn't want to part with, like photos and books. Sam would be taking the rest of it.

As the days passed and the apartment became more and more empty as things were moved to either Alex's house or put in the moving truck Max and Sam were driving out. It was actually quite depressing. Sam and scarlet had lived in this apartment together since they left high school, there was so many memories within this small home and now they were both moving on from it, leaving it all behind.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Scarlet jumped and turned towards the bedroom door to see Alex standing there, his eyebrows raised in question. Scarlet had been packing up the last of her things as tonight was the night she left the apartment to stay at Alex's. She had gotten lost in thought thinking about the past and how things used to be. Her, Max, Sam and Jake.

"Just thinking about Jake." Scarlet answered somewhat truthfully as she smiled at him softly. He made his way across the basically empty room to where she stood, taking her in his arms. "So many memories in this place with him and everyone and now we're just leaving them." She leaned back against his chest.

"Yeah, but now you are coming to live with me and make new memories, better memories." He said, squeezing her tightly, making her smile and nod. "You almost finished? Everything else is already in my car except for this stuff." Scarlet looked around at the empty room apart from the few things left in her closet that she had been packing into this box.

"Yeah, almost." She answered. Together they finished the box quickly.

"Remember three, almost four, months ago you and i were in here, having just met and were packing for you to come on tour with us? That seems like so long ago." He said as they stood in the center of the empty room, their arms around each other.

"Yeah, we have moved pretty fast." She commented. She had never stopped to think how quickly her and alex were moving. They had only known each other a few months and were already moving in together. They had gotten together after having only met a few days previously. She hadn't given that much thought until her mother gave her a very concerned talk last week when she had found out that the two were moving in together. "I just worry that you are rushing into this. You barely know him, i've never even met him. He sounds lovely, but don't you think maybe it'd be best to slow down a little?" Her mother had said.

Scarlet had protested and said she knew alex better than they probably knew and that this was right and what she wanted. She had not told alex any of this conversation as she knew it would upset him.

"You don't think its too fast do you?" He now asked her worridly, looking down into her face, making her smile and shake her head.

"There's nothing i want more than to live with you, alex." He smiled at her words and leaned down to kiss her lips softly.

"I can't wait. It wont be my house now, its our house." They smiled at each other and connected lips again.

When they disconnected, Alex took the box and left the room to take the box to his car. Scarlet walked out of the room slowly, looking around, taking it all in one last time. She flipped the light off and went into the living room.

"That everything?" Sam asked from her place on the couch where she was packing up some of her things that were in the living room, Max beside her, flipping through the channels on the TV.

"Yeah, Alex is putting the last of my things in his car." Sam looked up at Scarlet, both of them just staring at each other before they both broke into tears and rushed at the other. Max, now uninterested in the TV looked over at them, his eyes full of sadness as they embraced each other.

"I'm going to miss you so much." Sam said into her best friends shoulder, tears rushing down both of their faces.

"We'll keep in touch. And I'm sure I'll be going on tour with either the guys or another band soon and I'm sure we'll be in LA." Scarlet reassured her.

"This will be the first time we'll really be apart. With tours, you were gone but I at least knew you were coming back soon, now it could be months till we see each other again." Sam spoke, her voice breaking as she sobbed. Scarlet had no words as she too broke down in sobs. This was basically like Jake all over again, she was loosing her best friend. Alex came in the door and saw the best friends and frowned at them. "I love you, Scar. You're my best friend, my sister."

"I love you too." Scarlet pulled back to kiss Sam's cheek. They smiled at each other softly before stepping away and wiping at their cheeks. "So, I guess me and Alex are going to go. My first night in my new house." She said, smiling, making everyone else smile as well. "We'll be by tomorrow to help you finish up here." She hugged Sam once more and then Max before walking over to Alex, smiling at him and taking his hand. Alex smiled at the others before he and Scarlet left the apartment.

"You okay?" Alex asked her as they walked towards his box packed car.

"Yeah, it's just hard." She said, making him nod.

"I know. It will be fine though, you'll see her soon enough, don't worry." He assured her.

"Yeah, I know." They reached his car now. He led her over to the passengers door and opened it for her, holding her hand as she climbed in. He leaned over and kissed her lips before closing the door and going over to the drivers side.

"Ready to go home?" He asked her as he started the car, making a smile grow on her face.

"More than ready." He looked over at her and smiled, reaching over to take her hand as he drove off in the direction of their home.