Broken Wings

Around an hour and a half before the show, Jon had sent Ashley back to get CC. Jake still hadn't reappeared, so it was assumed he was back there too.

"CC? Jake? C'mon, we need to get ready" Ashley called, moving towards CC's bunk. When the bassist pulled back the curtain, a small smile formed on his face.

He found their two missing members curled up in each others arms, sleeping with small smiles on their faces. CC's hair was a mass of messy waves that fell over half of his face, whereas Jake's hair was stuck up around his head in the rough shape of wings. Ashley took a quick photo before deciding to wake them.

"CC? Jake? Wake up dudes" he said, shaking the pair lightly. They both groaned before opening their eyes. The blood in their bodies rushed to their faces when they saw Ashley and realised they were still cuddling.

"we'll be out in a sec" Jake muttered. Ashley smirked at the two and left. The pair unravelled their limbs and climbed out of the elder boys bunk, stretching their aching muscles as they did.

"fancy coming for sushi after the show? Y'know, considering we slept until now" Jake chuckled. CC smiled.

"sure. That'd be cool" he answered. Jake mirrored his smile and moved to his bag to grab his stage gear before hiding in his own bunk to get ready. CC repeated Jake's actions, but instead went into the tiny bathroom on the bus to change.

When the two were ready and had finished their war paint, they made their way into the venue to meet up with the rest of their band. When they got to the green room, their band was having a hushed conversation with their short, ginger manager about something that sounded to be like food.

"hey guys!" CC said, suddenly feeling the excitement for the show building up. The guys jumped a few feet in the air and spun around. Jake started laughing. CC just grinned at his friends.

"so CC, does your good mood mean you've told him?" Andy questioned, half smiling. CC blushed a little.

"not exactly" he mumbled.

"then what were you doing out there?" Jinxx asked, seeming confused.

"CC told me he's in love with someone but doesn't know if the person likes him back. That's all he said" Jake shrugged. "so I convinced him he won't know until he tries. And I'd always be here for him no matter what. Same with you guys"

"and I admitted I'm on anti-depressants" CC muttered shamefully. Ashley, Jinxx and Jon frowned.

"how long have you been on those C?" Ashley asked.

"since high school" he admitted sadly. Ash chewed on his lower lip.

"this won't change what we think of you, Chris" Jinxx said. "we still love you like a brother and you're still our best friend"

CC smiled at his friends and hugged them all, being careful not to smudge their war paint in the process. "Thanks guys"

"you're welcome" Ash said. "now let's go rock this place!"

With a round of agreements and a chuckle from their manager, the Black Veil Brides made their way to the stage. It was discovered that Ashley, Andy and Jinxx had asked the guitar and drum techs to do sound check with them in order to let the lead guitarist and the drummer sleep a little longer. So all that was left to do that night, was give the fans a good show!

But, as the band took position, CC felt a feeling he hadn't felt for a long time. He felt nervous. He felt like tonight, of all nights, he had to impress Jake. He didn't understand why he suddenly felt like that, but he did.

"CC. Ready for the drum solo?" his drum tech asked. CC took a breath to calm the butterflies in his stomach, grinned and nodded. His tech handed him his sticks and let him go on stage. Fans screamed at the top of their lungs as CC made his appearance.

He started off with a simple bass drum beat to get the fans clapping along before he kicked into something bigger and better than he'd ever played before. Fans were screaming and chanting his name as he played. He lost himself in the moment and played like he'd never played before.

When his solo ended, he took a few seconds to catch his breath and have a drink before kicking into Love Isn't Always Fair. As his band mates walked on stage, they all grinned at him and gave him a quick thumbs up. Jake's grin seemed biggest of all, though, sparking a hope in CC's chest.

Half way through the set, CC began feeling down again. His feelings didn't mess with his playing, oh no. His playing was still perfect as they played through their set. But he felt down again, like all hope he'd just gained had vanished all over again. He couldn't explain to himself why he felt like that, so how would he explain it to Andy, who was watching him worriedly for a few seconds?

After the set had ended, CC went out for a cigarette before joining his band mates for the meet and greet. He put on the good old fake smile for the sake of his fans. After two hours of taking photos and signing autographs for the happy, excited fans, the band made their way back to the bus for the night. Due to excitement burning inside the guitarists, bassist and the singer, they failed to notice how CC had excluded himself from the group again. Even their ever-observant manager failed to notice when CC didn't walk back into the bus that night.

Instead of returning to the warmth of the bus, CC pulled his coat around himself tightly and made his way back to the venue.

On the bus, the others were beginning to take note of their friend's absence.

"guys, where's CC?" Ashley asked, coming out from the bunks. Andy's brows furrowed as he got up to go and check.

"he's not on the bus" he muttered, reappearing beside the bassist.

"where could he have got to then?" Jon asked from his spot on the couch. "he was with us on the way back"

"yeah, but he also seemed distant again" Jinxx muttered. Jake sighed and got up. Slipping his coat on, he walked out of the bus.

"where are you going Jake?" Andy asked.

"to find CC" was all the guitarist said before walking off into the night in search of his best friend, band mate, and crush.

He eventually found the drummer smoking outside the venue. He frowned softly when he noticed how down and distant the older man was again.

"CC? You okay?" Jake asked, making the drummer jump a little. CC half-heartedly smiled.

"'m fine" he mumbled, breathing in more of the deadly smoke.

"don't lie, Chris" Jake sighed. "you're distant again and you didn't come back to the bus. It's obviously something"

"it's nothing, Jake. Just leave it" CC said, finishing his cigarette, stomping it out and walking towards the main road. Jake's brows furrowed in confusion and annoyance as he followed his best friend.

"CC!" he called. The drummer stopped and looked at him. Jake noticed the tears building up.

"what, Jake?" he asked bitterly. Jake was taken back by the comment.

"wh-what's the matter with you, CC? Why do you suddenly seem so down?"

"do you know how hard it is being in love with someone you've knowing since high school, Jake? How it feels to feel smitten towards your best friend, towards someone you've always thought of as a brother?" CC questioned, tears beginning to fall and leave black trails from the paint still on his face.

"I-"

"do you know how difficult it is, to watch the love of you life, loving somebody else?"

"CC...I..." Jake was struggling to find words. "what are you trying to say here, CC?"

"Oh for fuck sakes" CC growled. "I'm in love, Jake! And I'm in love with you! I just don't believe that you feel the same, so I've kept my feelings to myself"

Jake was taken back by the outburst. His racing heart made it difficult to form the right words. CC loved him too? CC huffed out a laugh.

"yes, Jake. I'll never be rejected by him, will I?" he asked lowly, bitterly, before turning on his heel and walking on. It took Jake a few moments to register what had happened before he sprinted after the drummer.

"CC wait! Let me explain!" CC didn't respond to Jake's call and continued walking at a fast pace. Jake called him again, but still nothing as the drummer began to cross the road quickly.

"CC!" Jake called desperately. Suddenly finding courage, he called out the one thing he knew CC was so desperate to hear. "I love you!"

CC stopped dead in his tracks at the guitarists words. Before it had even registered in his brain that he was still in the middle of one of the busiest roads in Las Vegas, it was too late. CC spun around just as a car collided with him at almost 90mph.

"CC! NO!" Jake cried, darting out onto the road where the car had come to a stop. The driver was looking frantic and scared as he tried to get a response from CC. Jake appeared and the driver started trying to explain what happened.

"I swear to God, I tried to stop. I couldn't break in time and he was just stood there!" the man said frantically.

"i-it's fine" Jake mumbled. "it wasn't your fault...just...just go and get help. Please"

"yeah, sure, sure" he said, getting up and dialling a number into his phone. Jake retrieved his phone and sent a message to Andy, knowing they needed informing.

Guys? CC just got hit by a car at almost 90mph. We're in the middle of the busy road outside the venue...
-JakePittsBVB

"come on, CC. Hold on. Please" Jake softly begged as he watched the drummers chest weakly rise then fall again as his breathing faltered.

Back on the bus, the rest of the band was waiting anxiously for a reply on where CC was. Andy smiled in relief when his message alert informed him of a new text.

1 new message: Jake Pitts

He smiled to himself until he opened the text and read it. Without a word, he grabbed his coat and shot off the bus.

"Andy wait! What's happened?" Ashley called after him as he stumbled out of the bus and shoved his arms into the sleeves of his coat.

"CC's been hit by a car" Andy said before turning and bolting towards the venue as fast as his gazelle legs would carry him.

When the band arrived at the scene, the ambulance was just pulling up. Jake had tears streaming down his face when he looked at his friends. His war paint was smudged, leaving black tear tracks running down his pale cheeks.

"are you four wanting to come along?" one of the medics asked. Jake automatically said yes. His band went along with it.

"you guys go, I'll drive up with Jason, Carl and Steve" Jon said, getting his phone to dial the number of one of the named techs.

The rest of Black Veil Brides got into the ambulance with an unconscious CC, worry and fear filling their heads.

"do you guys want to wash off that paint?" the medic asked, holding out a pack of wet wipes. The guys thankfully took them, shrugged off their coats, and started cleaning off the paint as they watched the medic and his college start cleaning the paint and blood from CC's body.

Inside, Jake couldn't stop blaming himself. If he'd waited until CC was off the road to shout out that he loved him, this wouldn't have happened. Better yet, he wished it had been him that had been hit, not CC.

The only thing Jake felt inside as he watched his crush's raspy breathing, was fear, regret and heartbreak.