We Don't Belong

Ashley's POV
May 25
Sophia: Age 5 years

"Andy?" I called walking around the house looking for him.

"In here!"

I walked around the house and found Andy in the studio room just writing.

"Hey babe."

"Hi Ashy."

"Where's Soph?"

"Taking a nap."

"Of course." I crouched down in front of him and grabbed one of his hands.

"Look I just came back from mom's and they're having a family reunion in Missouri. It's for three days and she wants me to go."

"Oh...are you?"

"I told her that I would."

He didn't say anything. He just looked down at our hands.

"Say something."

"I don't want you to go."

I sighed and rubbed my fingers over his knuckles.

"I'm sorry babe. I don't want to leave you two either."

"Then don't."

"But I have to."

He shut his notebook and let go of my hand. Before I could react he ran to our room. I sighed and followed him. When I got there he had got undressed and got under the cover.

"What are you doing Andy?"

"Taking a nap."

"Why? It's three o'clock."

"Saves myself from worrying about you."

"What does that mean?"

He rose the cover over his head and closed his eyes.

"Babe..."

He still didn't say anything. I sighed and walked out of the room.

*2 hours later*

"Ashy?"

Andy's tall figure appeared down the hallway.

"Hey daddy!" Sophia yelled jumping out of my arms and running to him.

"Hey baby girl." He said while picking her up and making his way to the couch.

"Papa took me to get a happy meal. He left you some in the kitchen."

"Tell papa I said thank you."

"Papa daddy said thank you."

"You're welcome Andrew."

He signed at me. It was a thank you but I'm still upset sigh. I looked at him with sad eyes as if apologizing.

"Did you enjoy your food?"

"Yep. I got chicken nuggets. Uncle CC would be jealous."

He smiled at her and seeing both of them smile made me smile.

"I love you two." I said.

"We love you too Papa."

Sophia adjusted herself so that she was sitting in my lap. She held out her hand for Andy to take and she rested her head on me.

"Papa, who did you look up to when you were younger?" She asked me.

"That's Easy...A kid named Andy Six."

"His name is like daddy's."

"It was my name."

"But your last name is Purdy like mine and Papa's."

"I used to be called Andy Sixx though. It was my stage name. Then I was Beirsack like grandad, now I'm Purdy because I married your papa."

"When I grow up I want to marry someone like papa. He's smart, funny, and he picks out the pretty stuff for me."

"Hey! I'm the same way. Why not marry someone like me?"

"Andy, you tried to put her in a boys outfit. She is a girl and she needs to look like one."

"You didn't complain about me on our anniversary. I don't remember you questioning that skim–"

"Daughter in the room!" I yelled.

He cracked a laugh and then Sophia started to laugh even though she didn't know what was so funny.

"Papa next weekend can we go to the store? I saw this doll on TV and they said that Toys R Us has it. We have to get it before everyone buys them all."

Next weekend was the family reunion. I didn't want to tell her that I had to go, but I needed to.

"How about we do it the week after that BatKitty." I sighed and looked up at Andy.

He picked up Sophia and sat her on his lap. He grabbed both of her hands in his and looked into her blue eyes that were almost identical to his.

Andy's POV
[got confused and started writing in Andy's POV]

"Papa has to go somewhere next weekend. He's gonna be gone for a few days. We can wait until he gets back to go okay?"

"He's leaving?"

"Just for a little while."

"Oh..."

She slowly looked up at Ashley. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She still has that little separation issue with him.

"Soph come here." He said.

She squeezed onto me and shook her head. I could tell by her shaking and the wetness of my chest that she was crying.

"Hey...shh. Papa's gonna be home. You don't want to make him sad do you?"

She shook her head against me.

"Then give him a hug and let him know that you love him."

She crawled out of my arms and to Ashley. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she just cried. He held her like a father would.

"I–I'm sorry Papa."

"You don't have anything to be sorry about BatKitty. I'll be right back though. I promise."

I didn't like that. He couldn't promise anything. We've learned from our past that promises meant nothing.

"Soph papa will do his best to come home. Nothing's gonna stop him from getting here."

"You promise?"

I shook my head at Ashley telling him not to make the promise. He sighed and looked back down at her.

"Pinky promise."

"Soph it's time for bed." I said.

"But you just got up daddy."

"Yeah I did, but you need to sleep."

"Okay."

Ashely stood up with me as we walked to her room we both sat by her bed until she went to sleep. We walked back to our room and Ashley pushed his side of the covers back.

"Ashley why'd you make a promise that you're not sure you can keep?"

"What are you talking about Andrew?"

"You told her that you promised to be back, but how do you know that?"

"What's that supposed to mean Andrew?"

"You don't know if you're gonna make it back Ashley! You've never traveled that far without me! I don't want you to go alone!"

"Andrew since when did you control me?! I'm a fucking grown man! I'm older than you for fucks sakes! I'll be back Andrew!"

"But I don't know that Ashley!

"You're making it sound like I'm gonna fucking die or some shit Andrew!"

"I don't know how many times I have to fucking say it! You. Don't. Know. That."

"You're over reacting Andrew. Go to sleep and talk to me when you're not."

"Well Ash I'm sorry! I can't help it! Jesus! I'll just sleep in the living room tonight then!"

"It's not like I'm going to fucking Africa for three fucking months without telling anyone Andrew!"

I stopped what I was doing and glared at him. I think he realized what he had said. It was his fault. Not mine.

"Andy–"

Before he could say anything I got out of the bed and took my batman blanket with me into the living room. I fixed myself some coffee and sat on the couch.

I sat there for about ten minutes before Sophia came in with her gazelle and hello kitty.

"Hey BatKitty. Why are you up so late?"

"I heard you and papa yelling. Are you going to break up?"

"What? No...Come here Soph."

I picked her up and sat her in my lap.

"Me and Papa aren't breaking up. Daddy just got mad at something that papa said. I'm not going to be upset for long."

"Then why are you sleeping in here?"

"Who said I was–oh– No sweetheart. I'm just trying to calm down. Instead of yelling at papa again I came in here. I'm going back in a few hours. C'mon. Let's get you back in bed."

I picked her up and carried her back to her bed.

"Goodnight love. I'll see you tomorrow okay."

"Okay daddy. I love you."

"I love you too Soph."

"Can you sing me my song please."

"Not tonight honey."

"Please daddy."

I sighed and sat on the side of her bed. I started to sing the notes of Set The World On Fire.

"That was beautiful, wasn't it Soph?" Ashley's voice chimed in.

She nodded sleepily as she reached out to Ashley.

"I love you papa. I love you Daddy."

"We love you too Soph." I said.

She yearned one last time before closing her eyes.

I looked up at Ashley and I could feel myself starting to choke up.

"Ashley I–"

He shook his head and put his finger to my mouth. He dragged me out of our daughter's room and sat me on the bed.

"Andrew if you're going to apologize then don't. I shouldn't have said what I said either.

"No Ashley. I don't care about that argument. Did you hear what she said? She thinks we're going to get a divorce because we were arguing."

"Andy, she doesn't understand yet. It's okay for her to think that. She's just a kid."

"But Ashley, it breaks my heart to know that I made our child think something like that. What if we do? How will she act? What will happen? We'd have to switch out every week and shed get tired of going from house to house and then she'd–"

"Andrew Dennis Biersack cut it out!"

A look of shock went over my face. He never calls me Biersack anymore.

"It's okay to worry about her. She's a kid. She's three years old. I honestly don't even know how she knows what breaking up is but she does and we just have to watch what we say to her. We can't tell her that it's never going to happen because we don't know that, but we can show how much we love each other and her. It's okay Andrew. We love you. The three of us have a strong bond because in the end all we're left with is family. It's all going to be okay. I promise."

I nodded and I felt Ash's arms around me.

"I love you Ashley Purdy."

"I love you too Andrew Purdy."

I smiled and kissed his lips. Just then we saw Sophie's shadow in our door.

"Can I stay here tonight?" She asked sleepily.

"Of course BatKitty but only for tonight."

"Okay Papa."

I got out of the bed and let sophi in beside Ashley. I made sure they were comfortable before I turned off my lap.

"I love you two." I said."

"Love you too." They both said in unison.

I kissed Sophie's head and met Ashley half way before sharing my goodnight kiss with him. I hummed Saviour as my the two most important people in my life fell asleep.