Through Thick And Thin
Hello, It's Two Years Later
“Long Beach are you ready to go fucking crazy?!” Matt screamed into the microphone as the opening triplets for ‘Nightmare’ echoed through the LBC, much to the happiness of the thousands of fans who had queued for hours to get to the front row.
Each and every one of them was filled with a kind of ecstasy that a band and audience shared- where the euphoria was too much to handle, and all you could do was grin like an idiot and play the best damn show of your life.
Zacky knew these notes off by heart, every rhythmic riff he played with flair and ease, so he could let his mind wander a little, and his thoughts drift to other things. He tried to resist it for as long as he could, but it was impossible, and at the end of the first chorus, he was playing beside the drum kit, staring over at the two people that were watching him.
Keira, his beautiful wife was stood in the wings, holding Linzee, now an adorable three year old and their adopted daughter, though he hated calling her that. In his eyes, she was his. She’d started talking and walking (which had taken some encouragement from Zacky, Keira, Brian & Matt the super-uncles and the wonderful people who made Oreos) and hadn’t stopped since. She was wearing a huge pair of fluorescent green headphones, to protect delicate ears from loud sounds, but still she was smiling and clapping.
He could see Adrienne standing on Brian's side of the stage, and every time Brian looked over at her- she'd smile and blow him little kisses. They were engaged- though it was a little hard to believe (Synyster Gates settling down- who'd have known?) but they were happy- and to Zacky that was all that mattered.
When Keira spotted Zacky watching the two of them, she smiled and said something to Linzee who spotted her daddy on stage. As Zacky stopped playing for the best part of three seconds before the harmonics, he waved at his little girl, his smile getting bigger when she waved back, grinning.
Now, he had to focus his attention on the show he was playing, and his guitar duel with Brian. He was going to make his kid proud by doing what he loved.
Seven songs later, and Matt was cooling the crowd down after a thrash through of their favourite songs, ready so they could play ‘Dear God’ for the last time that tour. Zacky had already taken his acoustic from one of the guitar techs, and he’d spotted Keira talking to one of the stage managers, who controlled the dead mike. He couldn't hear anyone saying anything, except for Matt making jokes to the crowd.
“So, our next song is actually one of our youngest fans favourite. She’s three years old and the first time we played this, she ran onstage, and Jason had to come and rescue her- but not before she'd attacked her Uncle Syn's legs. Her name is Linzee, and she’s Zacky’s little girl” Matt said, grinning over at Zacky. He had something planned, but Zacky shrugged at him. He had no idea what they were planning.
“That’s right. She’s my heart and soul, and she’s watching backstage tonight. She probably can’t hear me- but I love her so much” Zacky announced to the screaming fans, which only gave them more of a reason to ‘Aw’ at him.
“Hey, speaking of Linz, Zack. She wants to tell you something” Brian suddenly said from the other side of stage, leaving Zacky in the dark until a small voice suddenly echoed through the arena.
“I love you Daddy!”
Glancing over at the side of the stage, he saw Linzee with a microphone in her hands, smiling at her father on stage. She didn’t know that she was saying that to around 50,000 people but who cared. His daughter was incredible.
“I love you too, Kitten. Does your daddy get a hug?” he asked, winking at Keira and kneeling down a little, because even he could guess what was coming next. And in a matter of seconds, Linzee came running out of the wings, and threw her arms around Zacky’s neck. He lifted her up, balancing her lightly on the top of his guitar and kissed her cheek, smiling as she stared at the people in front of her.
She was probably never going to remember this, but Zacky and Keira would – for as long as they lived. He could see some of the photographers just in front of the pit taking pictures, and he knew he’d pay whatever it cost to get some of them developed.
As Brian began to play the song, he heard one of the guitar techs behind him start to play his part, and taking off his guitar slowly, so he didn't have to take his arms away from Linzee, he began to sway with her, like they were dancing. Linzee wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head into his shoulder in a sudden burst of shyness and he smiled, staring out at the hundreds of camera flashes that were echoing across the arena.
"Look Kitten- they're like stars. Do you see the flashy stars?" he whispered, hoping that Linzee could hear him and pointing out at the sea of people. She looked up, those big innocent eyes drinking in every person in the room.
"Stars" she mumbled softly, just loud enough for Zacky to hear her, and suddenly she kissed his cheek, hiding her face again.
Zacky smiled, running his hand over her head and beginning to hum along with the music.
"I love you Linzee" he whispered to himself, staring over at his wife and holding his daughter tightly.
He loved them.
And now- there was no turning back.
THE END
Each and every one of them was filled with a kind of ecstasy that a band and audience shared- where the euphoria was too much to handle, and all you could do was grin like an idiot and play the best damn show of your life.
Zacky knew these notes off by heart, every rhythmic riff he played with flair and ease, so he could let his mind wander a little, and his thoughts drift to other things. He tried to resist it for as long as he could, but it was impossible, and at the end of the first chorus, he was playing beside the drum kit, staring over at the two people that were watching him.
Keira, his beautiful wife was stood in the wings, holding Linzee, now an adorable three year old and their adopted daughter, though he hated calling her that. In his eyes, she was his. She’d started talking and walking (which had taken some encouragement from Zacky, Keira, Brian & Matt the super-uncles and the wonderful people who made Oreos) and hadn’t stopped since. She was wearing a huge pair of fluorescent green headphones, to protect delicate ears from loud sounds, but still she was smiling and clapping.
He could see Adrienne standing on Brian's side of the stage, and every time Brian looked over at her- she'd smile and blow him little kisses. They were engaged- though it was a little hard to believe (Synyster Gates settling down- who'd have known?) but they were happy- and to Zacky that was all that mattered.
When Keira spotted Zacky watching the two of them, she smiled and said something to Linzee who spotted her daddy on stage. As Zacky stopped playing for the best part of three seconds before the harmonics, he waved at his little girl, his smile getting bigger when she waved back, grinning.
Now, he had to focus his attention on the show he was playing, and his guitar duel with Brian. He was going to make his kid proud by doing what he loved.
Seven songs later, and Matt was cooling the crowd down after a thrash through of their favourite songs, ready so they could play ‘Dear God’ for the last time that tour. Zacky had already taken his acoustic from one of the guitar techs, and he’d spotted Keira talking to one of the stage managers, who controlled the dead mike. He couldn't hear anyone saying anything, except for Matt making jokes to the crowd.
“So, our next song is actually one of our youngest fans favourite. She’s three years old and the first time we played this, she ran onstage, and Jason had to come and rescue her- but not before she'd attacked her Uncle Syn's legs. Her name is Linzee, and she’s Zacky’s little girl” Matt said, grinning over at Zacky. He had something planned, but Zacky shrugged at him. He had no idea what they were planning.
“That’s right. She’s my heart and soul, and she’s watching backstage tonight. She probably can’t hear me- but I love her so much” Zacky announced to the screaming fans, which only gave them more of a reason to ‘Aw’ at him.
“Hey, speaking of Linz, Zack. She wants to tell you something” Brian suddenly said from the other side of stage, leaving Zacky in the dark until a small voice suddenly echoed through the arena.
“I love you Daddy!”
Glancing over at the side of the stage, he saw Linzee with a microphone in her hands, smiling at her father on stage. She didn’t know that she was saying that to around 50,000 people but who cared. His daughter was incredible.
“I love you too, Kitten. Does your daddy get a hug?” he asked, winking at Keira and kneeling down a little, because even he could guess what was coming next. And in a matter of seconds, Linzee came running out of the wings, and threw her arms around Zacky’s neck. He lifted her up, balancing her lightly on the top of his guitar and kissed her cheek, smiling as she stared at the people in front of her.
She was probably never going to remember this, but Zacky and Keira would – for as long as they lived. He could see some of the photographers just in front of the pit taking pictures, and he knew he’d pay whatever it cost to get some of them developed.
As Brian began to play the song, he heard one of the guitar techs behind him start to play his part, and taking off his guitar slowly, so he didn't have to take his arms away from Linzee, he began to sway with her, like they were dancing. Linzee wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head into his shoulder in a sudden burst of shyness and he smiled, staring out at the hundreds of camera flashes that were echoing across the arena.
"Look Kitten- they're like stars. Do you see the flashy stars?" he whispered, hoping that Linzee could hear him and pointing out at the sea of people. She looked up, those big innocent eyes drinking in every person in the room.
"Stars" she mumbled softly, just loud enough for Zacky to hear her, and suddenly she kissed his cheek, hiding her face again.
Zacky smiled, running his hand over her head and beginning to hum along with the music.
"I love you Linzee" he whispered to himself, staring over at his wife and holding his daughter tightly.
He loved them.
And now- there was no turning back.
THE END
11/4/13