Symphonies of the Damned

"I'm taking over, a shot to the new world order..." I scribbled down, tapping the edge of the pen against my lip.
It was late in the evening, and I was passing the time by writing down pieces of lyrics for a new song.
I wasn't particularly sure about the structure, but it was a work-in-progress. "I am bulletproof..." I contemplated.
Ashley had left hours ago, setting up a surprise for my birthday. He had refused to let any details slip, so I was literally at a standstill.
There was still another hour before I was supposed to meet him, but there wasn't anything I could do.
Already, I had forced my way into a pair of really tight black skinny jeans and my boots.
I was wearing a black and white tank top, but I was planning on pulling a denim jacket over it later.
"Got something to live for...I know that I won't...surrender."
There was a faint vibrating sound, as my phone started to go off amid the mess of blankets.
"Hello?" I answered, not bothering to check the Caller ID.
"Andy!"
Juliet's voice was labored and shaky, as if she had just finished running a six-minute mile.
"Juliet?" I asked. "What's wrong?"
"Th-the baby..." she spit out, her voice cracking. "I-it's time."
"Fuck." I mumbled underneath my breath, patting my pockets for my keys and wallet. "Where are you?"
"H-home."
"I'll be there as fast as I can." I promised, hanging up.
Grabbing said denim jacket, I flew down the steps and slammed the door behind me.
It took me three tries to unlock the car because I kept dropping the keys, but soon enough I was racing down the street.
The usual ten minute walk took me less than three minutes before I was rushing up the front step.
It was unlocked, letting me inside sooner.
"Juliet?!" I called out, heading towards the staircase. "Where are you?"
Her thin voice answered.
Taking the steps two at a time, I reached her bedroom in seconds. She was gripping onto the dresser, using it for support.
"Are you ready to go?" I asked, rubbing her shoulder blade in comfort. "Where's the bag?"
"Closet."
Nodding, I left her alone for a moment to retrieve the duffel bag she had packed a week ago.
Being careful of the stairs, I helped her into the backseat of the car and ignored every stop sign and broke every speed limit.
I was barely able to get her out of the car, since she kept leaning over and clutching her bulging stomach.
"Come on, Love." I prodded. "We're almost there, alright?"
She nodded, taking the painstaking steps into the hospital and towards the front desk.
"Can I help you?" the bored sounding voice asked, eyes not looking away from the computer screen.
"Yeah, she's going into labor!" I admitted, frantically.
She looked up, a new sense of professionalism and urgency brightening her face as she nodded.
She pressed a button and made a call.
Before long, there were two nurses heading our way with a wheelchair in tow and they led us towards a different ward.
I was handed a few papers to fill out as they handled pain medication and ultrasounds, or whatever.
Sitting down, I tried to focus on the paperwork in front of me, but I could barely get past the date.
"Today's Date: December 26, 2012."
The baby I had been waiting ages for...
That baby girl I had defended and protected, loved and cared for, months before she was even born, was about to be brought into this life.
"Patient Name: Juliet Nicole Simms." I penned down.
There were so many emotions flowing through me, there wasn't anything else on my mind.
"Date Of Birth: February 26, 1986."
It was only a matter of hours before she would take her first breath and open her eyes.
It was only a matter of hours before I would find out if she took my blue eyes or Juliet's light brown.
"Spouse/Biological Father Name: Andrew Dennis Biersack."
What are the chances that the ultrasounds were wrong, and she's end up a boy? We hadn't given much thought to boy names.
Not that we'd given much thought to girl names either.
I was dead set on Isabella or Nicole, but Juliet wanted something more unique, like Annalise.
"Spouse/Biological Father Date of Birth: December 26, 1990."
Shit.
It wasn't until I had written down my birthdate, that I remembered Ashley's surprise.
"Shit, shit, shit." I cursed underneath my breath, pulling out my phone.
There were a lot of anxious people milling around, and I didn't want to disrupt their thoughts with a phone call.
Instead, I decided to send Ash a text message.
"Sorry to cancel, but the baby's due. Meet me at hospital, k?" I sent. After a second, it vibrated.
"That was fast." I mused, checking the alert.
"Error Code 602: Message Not Sent."
"Fuck."
It wasn't going to send anytime soon, so I pocketed the phone and finished the paperwork.
When I turned them in, I was directed into a room down the hallway where a bleak curtain was pulled across.
"Jules?" I called out, peeking through the fabric.
"In here."
Her recently dyed hair was a tangled mess against the limp pillows, a tired look on her face.
She was already hooked up to an IV, and her leggings and loose Wild Child shirt had been replaced with a hospital gown.
"How are you holding up?" I asked, pulling the molded plastic chair towards the bedside.
"I'm just really fucking excited, you know?" she laughed. "Despite the pain I'm going through, it's worth it."
"Yeah..." I trailed off. "What are we naming her?"
"I think...when the time's right and we see her face, we'll know what to name her."
"Alright."
Reaching towards her, I brushed back the bangs in her face and smiled. "Can you believe it?"
"What?"
"Just, everything that's happened in the past few months. It's just a whirlwind of emotions, and it's hard to believe."
"I know."
"To think, I'm going to hold this precious little angel and call her mine. I'll be able to just...love her."
"You better love her." Juliet laughed, the chuckle dying as he sucked in a quick gasp of air.
"Fuuuck." she muttered, clutching her stomach. "Andy, it's literally time."
The thin sheet covering her legs was getting soaked as her water broke, letting us know.
"Oh!" I yelled, pressing a Call button and taking her hand in mine. It was time. It was finally time.



"Come on, Juliet!" I urged, my voice muffled from the mask covering my face. "Push!"
"I swear to God, if you say that one more time, I will break your neck." Jules groaned, her fist tightening.
It took three hours of pushes and screams before the labored pants of Juliet were drowned out by a loud cry.
"Date of Birth: December 27, 2012. 12:14 AM."
The baby was taken away, her cries drifting off as she was cleaned up and wrapped in a pink blanket.
Doctors were finishing up with Juliet, and I was handed the baby.
Her face was scrunched up as she let out constant wails, but as he felt my fingers running across her skin, they died down.
Her eyes opened, and I was met with piercing blue eyes that matched mine.
"Andy!" Juliet's voice croaked out. "Let me see her."
Smiling, I handed her the baby.
"She's beautiful..." she breathed, touching her tiny nose with her fingertip and smiling.
"What are you going to name her?" a nurse asked.
We looked at each other, and Juliet whispered the name in my ear. I nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.
"Annabella." I answered, confidence surging my voice. "Annabella Simms-Biersack."