JC POV.

Ding! Ding! Ding! I grumbled and saved my work, pushing myself off the sofa. I yawned as I glanced at the clock. 11:31. Who the hell would be at my front door at this time of night? I padded through the house, my bare feet slapping against the laminate flooring. Ka had got to her feet and was following me to the front door. Gin had just lifted her head off the arm chair, blinked at me, and gone back to sleep. Danny would already be at the front door. He loves the front door. He knows that it means people. And guess what? He loves people too. Ding! Ding! The person ringing was slowly becoming more insistent. I grumbled to myself as I turned into the hallway leading to the front door. Danny was already there, bouncing up and down excitedly. I sighed. Why is my dog a fucking fruit cake? DING! DING! DING! The insistent ringer grew even more insistent. This time they rang the doorbell right down my fucking ear.

“All right! All right! I’m coming! No need to deafen me or break the freaking bell!” I yelled. I figured that whoever was calling probably knew me if they were calling this late, so I could be rude. If they didn’t, Well, I was probably still going to be rude. I unlocked the door and stood there in open-mouthed shock. Then I screamed.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I shrieked, launching myself at the person in front of me. Johnny, for his part, didn’t seem surprised by my reaction. In fact, he even caught me. You gotta love brothers.

“Hey J.” He mumbled, somewhat muffled by my hair. I laughed and unwrapped my legs from his waist. Sliding not too elegantly to the floor, I grinned. Right before punching him in the shoulder.

“OUCH! WHAT THE FUCK?!”
“WHY THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE COMING HOME?!” I glared at him. Which, as usual, had no effect what-so-ever.

“Well it was obviously a surprise wasn’t it!” Commented a voice behind me. I spun round to see Zacky and Jimmy grinning widely.

“SURPRISE!” Screeched Jimmy, jumping me. I laughed and play-fought with him for a bit before I was shouldered out of the way by an excitable Great Dane. I laughed as he jumped up at Zacky, his paws up on Zacky’s shoulders. Zacky looked from him to me and raised an eyebrow.

“I love how your dog is taller than you.” I gave him an evil look.

“Not that it’s a hard thing to do.” Snorted another voice behind me. My evil look intensified and this time, even Johnny back away further into the house. I turned to face the speaker.

“Get the fuck out of my house.” I ordered, pointing at the door. He just smirked at me and crossed his arms, leaning against the door frame.

“Come and make me Cait.” I growled -- yes growled, he can reduce me to that—and took a step towards him. I was stopped by Johnny.

“J, come on. We’ve only just got here.” He pleaded. Translation: Please don’t kill my best friend and lead guitarist within the first five minutes of being in the same room as him. I hmphed and turned away from him.

“At least shut the fucking door. It’s cold.” I ordered. Johnny mouthed a ‘thank you’ at me. I glared at him and stomped off back to the living room. The guys followed me wordlessly. Not even the appearance of the guys could get my Rottweiler out of her chair. Although, they did get a tail wag. She was probably hoping for food. Lazy bum. I sat back down next to my laptop and began to shut it down. With my brother and the rest of these guys here, there’s no way that I was going to get any more work done tonight. Johnny sat next to me, watching with interest. My brother was a huge fan of my writing.

“How’s it going?” I shrugged in reply and put the laptop on the table.

“It’s getting there. It’s taking its own sweet time, but it’s getting there.” I replied, tucking my legs up under me. It was time to catch up.

~*~

Syn POV.

I smirked as I shut the door. Barely a minute in her presence and she’s already pissed. That’s what I call a result. I followed the rest of the guys as they trailed her further into the house. I absently stroked Danny’s head as he padded along next to me. I caught up to the guys as they were sitting down in the living room. I automatically headed for the chair furthest from her, only to discover it full of Rottweiler. I sighed. There was no way that I was going to get Gin to move. I turned back around and took the only seat available, the armchair next to JC. Wonderful. Her and Johnny were already catching up. I swear that they can pick up a conversation like they had never been apart. I suppose that it was part of being twins. She glanced at me as I sat down. I raised my eyebrows questioningly, knowing that it would annoy her. She huffed and turned her head and attention back to Johnny with a flick of her ponytail. I almost laughed. Sometimes, this was almost too easy. I caught sight of Jimmy shaking his head at me, I just shrugged and zoned into their conversation.

“…was fucking amazing. Probably the best show we’ve ever played.” Johnny was gushing about the City of Evil tour. JC just beamed at him. “I really wish that you could have come with us. I miss the old days.” JC had toured with us when we’d done smaller tours a couple of years ago. Having to share a tour bus with her for weeks on end had been … an interesting experience.

“So do I, but jobs are kind of a tie-down.” She laughed. “A pain, I know, but not everyone can be a rock star. I need to pay the bills.”

“Johnny quit bugging her, you know she’d only kill Syn anyway.” Laughed Zacky from his end of the sofa, where he was sat with Danny virtually on his lap. Me and JC glanced at each other and snorted.

“Too damn right.” We both replied simultaneously. Which obviously amused Jimmy. He laughed and clapped his hands like a two year old.

“That was funny! Do it again!” He ordered pointing imperiously at us. He was answered with a cushion in the face from JC. “Charming.” He mumbled, shoving it behind his head. JC just stuck her tongue out at him and carried on talking to Johnny.

“So, as nice as it to see you guys, what brings you here at this time?” Her question was met with a derisive snort from Zacky.

“Your wonderful brother here, forgot to pay rent. So our landlord kicked us out. We have to go back tomorrow and move our shit out.” She smirked and raised her eyebrows at Johnny.

“Genius. And you want to crash here?” We all nodded. She sighed. “I’ll make the rooms up.” Whoa. That took me back. We’d meant like crash on the couch until we could get a new place. But she seemed to be willing to let us actually stay here.

“Huh? Hold up. You’ll let us stay here. Like permanently?” Asked Jimmy looking stunned. She nodded.

“You’ll have to help pay the food and utility bills, but I’ve got the spare rooms and the house is getting lonely with just the dogs for company now that Ash has moved out. Sharing a house with him” she jerked a thumb at me. “may prove to be too much, but you guys are welcome.” Jimmy whooped and jumped to his feet, making Zacky get up to.

“Then let’s go!!!” He dragged Zacky out of the room, leaving us to follow at a more normal pace. Johnny left first I went to follow but was stopped by JC. She put a hand on my arm. I looked down, surprised at how close we were. Apparently I wasn’t the only one. She looked down at her hand and instantly withdrew it, taking a step back. She looked up at, confusion crossing her face before determination set in.

“One step too far Gates and you’re out of here faster than you can move your fingers on that guitar of yours. I mean it.” I could hear the steel in her voice.

“I hear ya Cait.” I replied, reaching forward and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She scowled at me and ducked away. “Don’t fucking call me that.” She snapped storming off after Johnny. This was going to be fun.