Death, Love and Family

It was three in the morning and I was sleeping peacefully when my phone started going off. I woke up and grabbed it off of my night stand. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was my best friend Matt so I picked up "Hey hun whats wrong?" I asked knowing he only called me this early when something bad had happened.

I heard crying on the other line. I sat up in bed turning on my light I asked "Matt honey talk to me what's wrong?"

He said through choked sobs "She......she's...................Val..........she's........... Niki!"

I started to get paniced he'd never cried like this before, something was really wrong "Matt calm down, take deep breaths in and out, and tell me what's going on!" I said to him trying to calm his nerves and his sobbing.

He took a few deep breaths and said "Val......she's......Niki she's gone." he said sadly and started crying again.

I asked not really understanding what he ment by 'gone' "Gone, how Matt?"

He yelled thought his tears and heartbreak "She's dead Niki her and Michelle are fucking dead!"

Suddenly everything around me seemed to get darker and the tears stung my eyes "Oh my god! No, no, no, this isn't happening..............Matt where are you guys?" I asked, I needed my best friends and they needed me.

He managed to choke out "We're...on our way home....we...canceled the rest....of the tour....I can't do it Niki.......I don't know what to do........,"he said quietly "Niki I'm scared I can't live without her.....What am i gonna do?"

I sniffed away my tears I had to be strong for Matt and for Brian, he and Michelle had just gotten married two years ago. I said "Matt honey I'm gonna go over to Brian's. I want you to come straight over there when you get home ok hun. I don't want you going home to an empty house right now. I'll get Sara and Cam and everyone to come over alright just go straight to Brian's, tell everyone to go to Brian's house...........we'll get through this some how ok as long as we stick together alright just hang in there for me I need you to stay strong until you get home?"

He sniffed through his tears and said "Ok....................hey Niki?"

I asked "Yeah Matt?"

He sighed and said "I love you......I don't know what I'd with out you.......you always know what to do......."

I smiled slightly and said "I love you too Matt and you're my best friend I'll always be here for you, its what friends are for ok! How far away are you guys?"

He was silent for a few seconds before he said "About an hour and a half away."

I sighed and said "Ok well I have to go get everyone up and get over to Brian's are you gonna be ok until you get home?"

He took in a deep breath and said "Yeah I think the guys can keep me together until then."

I smiled sadly and said "Ok sweetie well I have to go I'll see you when you get here alright? Bye Matt."

"Bye Niki and thank you for everything." he stated.

"No problem I'll see you in a bit." I said before we both hung up.

I got out of bed dreading the phone calls I had to make. The first person I callled was Sara. She informed me that Brian had called her, I knew he would they were best friends like Matt and I. Then I called the rest of the crew Cam, Matt sister Amy who was actually in town, Mudrock, Fred, Dave, anyone who I knew was really close to the guys. It was probably the hardest thing I had to do but I knew I was the only one who could do it, I was always the strong one in the grond just under Val but now.......................well now I guess I had to step up and be the rock.

I told everyone who could to go over to Brian's house. Then I got dressed......well sort of i just pulled a hoodie over my pjs' and changed into some long pj pants then slipped on my flipflops. I drove over to Brian's and let myself in with the extra key he had given me. I walked into his livingroom and turned on the stereo to drown out the silence. Then I sat on the couch waiting for them all to come home as our freinds showed up to wait along with me. Everyone was in the room which was filled in saddness waiting for the broken hearted Avenged gang to walk through the door.